


Salem and the Spooky Buddies

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Air Bud (1997), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-02-10 07:57:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12907575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: Halloween roams around town as the Air Buddies are excited to dress up and go on a field trip with their owners, but things become spooky when there are rumors about someone known as The Halloween Hound and a ghost beagle puppy named Pip who is apart of the legend/myth. To make sure no magical emergencies happen, Patch brings along Salem for help.





	1. Chapter 1

Oddball was taking a nap in her basket and then she instantly woke up as Jessica unlocked the door and came through it with Christopher by her side.

"So, you wanna come over for Fall Break?" Jessica asked her boyfriend with a smile.

"Sure." Christopher smiled back.

"Jessica, I missed you so much!" Oddball ran over to her mistress and jumped up and down.

Jessica giggled and held her puppy. "Sorry that took so long, Oddball, but we had to have that lecture on integers."

"So, can we go see Uncle Patch and the others now?" Oddball asked.

"Yeah, let's just get our bags and we can meet the bus." Jessica smiled.

"Right." Christopher added.

Oddball cheered. Jessica and Christopher went to get their things so they could get on the bus to go away for Fall Break since there would be no classes. Oddball was excited because then she could see her favorite uncle and the Buddies, especially Budderball, and where they were going to celebrate Halloween together. Once Jessica and Christopher were ready, they went with Oddball on the college bus to bring them to the Fudo house for Fall Break.

Meanwhile at another school...

The bell rang and the kids rushed out in excitement, especially Darla and Amber.

"Wahoo! Finally!" Darla smiled.

"So, what're you gonna dress up as for Halloween this year?" Amber asked.

"Probably Princess Serenity," Darla shrugged. "What about you?"

Amber hummed in thought. "Kim Possible?"

"That sounds perfect." Darla smiled.

The girls then caught up with Annabelle as she joined them.

"I'm not sure what I'll be, maybe-" Annabelle was about to say until she looked up and saw a creepy house as they were on their way home from school. "Whoa, that looks creepy."

"It sure does." Amber said.

"What is that place?" Darla asked.

"I hear the older kids are going on a school trip there," Amber told the others. "It's called the Warwick's Mansion. I hear that if you say 'Halloween Hound' three times in front of Warwick's mirror, you would release the Halloween Hound."

"What's the Halloween Hound?" Darla asked.

"Legend has it that he is a ghost dog who leads the Netherworld." Amber replied.

"Whoa." Annabelle said.

"74 years ago on Halloween, the Halloween Hound appeared in a mirror and sucked the souls from a puppy named Pip and his siblings and their bodies had been turned to stone." Amber continued.

"What about Pip?" Darla asked.

"I'm afraid his soul got separated and he became a ghost." Amber replied.

"That must be terrible." Darla frowned.

"It's just a legend, but part of me believes in it..." Amber said. "Anyway, let's get going."

"You guys wanna meet at my place then?" Darla invited.

"Sure, besides, I've been wanting to meet Casper." Annabelle smiled.

"I wonder if he's in a better mood about Halloween?" Amber wondered.

"He is," Darla reassured. "He says it's refreshing for him to go out without people screaming 'ghost'."

"That's a relief." Annabelle smiled.

"Does he ever miss Kat?" Amber asked.

"Maybe sometimes, but I think he misses Wendy the Good Little Witch more." Darla smirked.

"Ooh." Amber and Annabelle smirked back.

Darla giggled.

The three then went to the Fudo house just as Jessica sat on the couch with Emily to catch up.

"Jessica!" Darla beamed to see her big sister was home.

"Hey there, Darla." Jessica smiled.

Darla hugged Jessica. "Oh, you're home."

Jessica hugged Darla back. "Yep, I'll be here all week."

"Yay!" Darla cheered.

"It's great to finally meet you." Casper smiled.

"Hi, Casper." Amber and Annabelle smiled back to the former ghost boy.

"Hey, girls." Casper smiled.

"So, this is what you look like as a human..." Amber said. "I pictured you bald."

"Blame my ghost form..." Casper rolled his eyes.

"You look better this way." Annabelle said.

Casper smiled bashfully. "Thanks."

"So, you ready for Halloween?" Emily asked.

"You bet!" Casper beamed. "This'll be a great one for me."

"It'll be fun for all of us." Jessica agreed.

"Oh, uh, Mom, we heard something about the Warwick place and we were wondering if you could tell us that it's just a legend." Darla spoke up.

The name Warwick caused for Emily to freeze up.

"Whenever Mom freezes up, it's never good." Jessica said.

"Mama Emily...?" Darla asked.

"I'm not one to tell you about it, that's more of your father and Drell's territory, but I'm afraid the legend is true." Emily replied.

"What?!" The girls asked out of shock.

Emily nodded. "It was 74 long years ago."

"How old are you?" Oddball asked.

Emily glanced over. "Never ask a woman for her age.

"So... You're 74?" Oddball asked then.

"No, I'm not," Emily giggled. "Though I am a little bit older than I actually am because I ran away to Never Land with my sister for a while once."

"Okay?" Oddball said, confused.

"You shouldn't ask a woman for her age, but Mom's mentally six while she has the appearance of at least 30." Jessica whispered with a giggle.

"Wow." Oddball whispered back.

There was then a distant puppy bark heard.

Oddball put her ear up and went to the open window and barked back with a smile, she then heard more barking and looked over. "Can I go to the park and meet the Buddies?"

"No, you can't," Patch's voice said before he looked firm and then smirked playfully. "Not without your favorite uncle."

"Yay!" Oddball smiled.

"I'm gonna take her out." Patch told the others.

"Just be back by 6:00 for dinner." Emily smiled.

Patch nodded and went with Oddball to meet the Air Buddies.

"Oh, I can't wait to see them again." Oddball smiled.

"Rosebud loves it when you come over," Patch smiled back. "Another girl on the team."

"I really missed Budderball too." Oddball then said, slightly blushing.

"I can tell." Patch smirked.

Oddball blushed slightly.


	2. Chapter 2

B-Dawg, Rosebud, MudBud, Budderball, and Buddha came to their meeting place and smiled once saw Patch, their 'dogfather'. 

"Hey, guys, I hope you don't mind if I brought a special little guest." Patch said, referring to his niece.

"Oddball." The Buddies smiled.

Oddball walked out and smiled back to the Buddies. "Hey, guys."

"What are you doing here, dudette?" MudBud asked.

"Jessica's on Fall Break, I'll be here all week." Oddball informed with a smile.

"Really?" Budderball asked hopefully.

"Mm-hmm." Oddball nodded.

"Wahoo!" Budderball smiled.

Oddball giggled shyly to his excitement.

"I mean... You deserve it." Budderball smiled bashfully before he soon saw his siblings smirking playfully at him.

"So, what do you wanna do today, dudes?" B-Dawg asked.

"Well, we have a big day coming up," Rosebud remembered. "We're going with our new owners on their field trip." 

"Dogs are allowed on field trips?" Oddball asked, surprised.

"Yep." The Buddies smiled.

"I never knew that?" Oddball said to her uncle.

"They promise not to make any trouble," Patch smiled. "Though sometimes I have to hide in someone's backpack for when I go to field trips."

"Good to know." Oddball said.

"You gonna dress up for Halloween, Oddball?" Rosebud asked. "I'm going to be a beautiful doggy princess."

"Cool." Oddball smiled.

"I'm gonna be a Hip Hop Rapper, yo!" B-Dawg beamed.

"I'm going to be an alien from another planet." Buddha decided.

"And what are you going as, Budderball?" Patch asked.

"I'm going to be a superhero dog." Budderball replied bravely.

"Cool." Patch smiled.

"As for me, I think I'll be a pirate." MudBud said.

"Hmm..." Oddball hummed about what she should be for Halloween.

"And what will you be going as, Oddball?" Rosebud asked.

"I'm not sure..." Oddball shrugged. 

"Surely Jessica brought you a costume before you guys came over." Patch replied.

"Nope." Oddball shook her head.

"Hmm..." Patch hummed. "Well, I guess I'll have to see your Uncle Salem about using a costume spell."

"Yay!" Oddball smiled.

Patch chuckled. "But for now, let's play."

The Buddies smiled as they were then going to play with Oddball and Patch.

"What should we play?" Oddball asked.

"Let's play tag, visitors are it!" B-Dawg laughed.

"Hey, no fair!" Oddball laughed back as she then chased after her friends.

Patch then decided to make a quick visit to the Spellman house so he could get a costume for Oddball.

A certain cursed warlock was relaxing the only way a cat could.

Patch came to the couch. "HEY, SALEM!"

Salem yelped and jumped high in the air, clinging onto the ceiling.

"Whoops... Sorry..." Patch smiled nervously.

"What's up besides me and my fur on end?" Salem shivered.

"Can you do your costume spell and make a costume for Oddball?" Patch asked.

"Hmm..." Salem dropped down as he then walked to the attic. "Come on, let me see if I have something."

Patch followed behind Salem. "So, uh, where's Sabrina, Hilda, and Zelda?"

"Sabrina's visiting her parents and Hilda and Zelda went to their family thing in the Netherworld with Drell." Salem informed as he looked for the right spell book.

"That's good to know." Patch said.

"Let's see..." Salem hummed as he looked through the Halloween themed spell book. "Candy... Curses... Oh, costumes!" 

"Great!" Patch smiled.

"You have to recite this to her and she will be instantly transformed into the costume which best suits her personality." Salem informed.

"Excellent." Patch smiled.

Salem then copied down the spell and handed it to the puppy.

Patch then took it. "Thanks a bunch, I owe you one."

"Any chance you could turn me back into a warlock?" Salem smirked.

"Nope." Patch shook his head.

"Aw, you're no fun." Salem pouted.

"Sorry." Patch said.

Salem pouted.

"But, you could come with us if you don't mind six puppies." Patch smirked.

"It's better than doing nothing." Salem said.

"Yeah, I'd hate to see you be here all alone." Patch replied.

Salem smiled as they then went back to where Oddball and the Buddies were.

"Tag, you're it." Budderball said as he tagged Oddball gently.

Oddball giggled. "Okay, look out!"

The Buddies laughed as they then ran to avoid her. Oddball laughed as she ran to tag one of them, and the one she tagged was Rosebud. 

"Aww..." Rosebud pouted.

"You're it, Rosebud!" Oddball giggled as she soon rushed away from Rosebud with a giggle.

Patch and Salem then teleported over.

"You're it!" Rosebud then tackled Salem, but then realized he was a cat. "Hey, you're a cat."

"Hey, thanks for noticing." Salem deadpanned.

"Hey, kids." Patch smiled.

The Buddies looked curious of the cat.

"Uncle Salem!" Oddball beamed before pouncing on him.

"Why are all of you looking at me like that?" Salem asked.

"TAG!" the Buddies cheered and ran for him.

"Better run, Salem." Patch smirked to the black cat.

"Oh, you bet I am." Salem smirked back.

The Buddies charged for the cursed warlock who was now a cat. Salem soon tagged Buddha.

"All right... My turn." Buddha said before getting in a yoga stretch and then went to chase his siblings and friends. 

"You know, this is kind of fun." Salem smiled.

"Remind of you of when you were a kid?" Patch smiled back.

"Yeah." Salem smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

They all continued to play tag until it started to get dark and cold and they were all wore out from the fun they had.

"Okay, I think it's time to go home for supper." Budderball suggested. 

"It is getting late." Salem panted.

"Yeah... Hey, why don't you come over with me and Oddball so you won't be home all alone?" Patch invited Salem. 

"Well, I guess I could stay for a while." Salem smiled.

Patch smiled back before he then carried Oddball on his back as she had fallen asleep due to the exercise she had gotten today. The Buddies then went back to their own homes with their owners for the night. Salem followed Patch so that he wouldn't be alone for the rest of the night. 

"Sorry you missed Patrick, Salem," Emily said to the cursed warlock. "He was called away to the Netherworld." 

"Oh, what did he need to do?" Salem asked.

"The Council called him away." Emily replied. 

"Oh, I hope Hilda, Zelda, and Drell's weekend doesn't get ruined." Salem frowned. 

"It won't," Emily said. "He was the only one called in."

"Well, I hope it's nothing serious, Halloween is a very important holiday to witches, I hope Edward doesn't mind missing it." Salem said.

"I'm sure spending time with his daughter and wife is better." Jessica smiled and was glad that Sabrina could spend more time with her parents now ever since Drell and Hilda got married. 

"I can't wait for the field trip." Darla smiled.

Later on, after dinner, it was time for bed.

In the Netherworld...

Hilda, Zelda, and Drell were singing Halloween Carols as they were on their way to the Warlock's Retirement Home to visit Drell's parents for the holiday season. The warlock soon had a chill down his spine. 

"You okay, Drelly?" Hilda asked.

"Uh, you go ahead without me, I'll be right there, I have to buckle my shoe..." Drell chuckled nervously.

The Spellman sisters shrugged and went on ahead before him. 

"I haven't felt a chill like that since the day when the Halloween Hound was summoned." Drell said. He then looked around and backed up to do some investigating. 

And where this Halloween would be one no one in Fernfield would ever forget. 

Drell stumbled and fell until he came over to an older warlock. "Dad!"

"Hello, son," Warwick smiled and picked up his fully grown son and dusted him clean. "What brings you here?"

"Erm... Dad... You ever think the Halloween Hound would ever come around here?" Drell shivered. "Funny how you share the name with his master at the time... Coincidence, right?"

"Yes, that is a coincidence," Warwick said. "But there is no way that the Halloween Hound would be able to be summoned."

"Yeah..." Drell chuckled nervously. "Totally... Um... Well, the girls and I are at the retirement home to see you and Mom." 

"Oh, then why aren't you with them?" Warwick asked.

"I had a bad feeling about Halloween Hound..." Drell shivered. "You know what Patrick and I did when we were kids... What if he comes back into the modern world?" 

"Oh, please, how could that be?" Warwick asked.

"Heh, maybe you're right..." Drell chuckled nervously.

"Come, my son, let's get you to the retirement home, it's Wednesday, so that means green gelatin for dessert." Warwick ruffled up his son's hair. 

"Cool." Drell smiled.

Warwick smiled and took his son to the retirement home. 

Hilda and Zelda looked bored as Maroot took them to the Bingo Hall. 

"I am bored out of my mind." Hilda said.

"Maroot, do you mind if we do something else?" Zelda begged.

Maroot cheered as she got a bingo. Drell then walked over with his father and smiled nervously as the Spellman sisters looked peeved with him. 

"Never ever leave us alone with your mother again." Zelda glared.

"Never ever!" Hilda added in sharply, narrowing her violet eyes.

"Erm... Yes, Hilda and Zelda." Drell smiled nervously. 

"Good." Zelda nodded firmly.

Drell then sat down with the girls to cheer them up about the boring Bingo game. 

"Someone has got to lighten up the mood here." Warwick said.

"Yeah, Dad, this is more boring than when you made me watch your slideshow on how you met Mom..." Drell groaned, feeling totally bored. 

Warwick decided to use his magic and make the game more exciting. Drell still seemed a little anxious as he remembered the Halloween Hound.

"You okay?" Hilda asked.

"Just remembering something..." Drell smiled nervously. "Even with your brother..."

"Drell...?" Hilda folded her arms. "What have you done with our Edward?"

Zelda also looked firm.

"I might've bet him something stupid before he met Diana..." Drell smiled nervously. 

"And it was?" Hilda asked.

"I kinda bet him he wouldn't summon the Halloween Hound 75 years ago." Drell smiled nervously. 

This caused for everyone to go silent.

"He then talked these mortal boys into doing it..." Drell sunk in his chair nervously. "I fear the Halloween Hound might be summoned again very soon..." 

"WHAT?!" Everyone asked out of fear.

"Oh, that reminds me, he wanted me to give you this." An elderly woman said as she gave him a note. 

"'Drell, forget the bet; I am not going through with it'." Drell read the note.

The woman then walked off.

"Looks like I'm off the hook?" Drell smiled sheepishly. 

Everyone glared at him for the bet.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" Drell asked.

"You! Big! Fat! Jerk!" Hilda threw punches at Drell even if they wouldn't hurt him. 

"Oh, come on, that was decades ago." Drell said.

"Have you considered what happens if Halloween Hound comes back?" Hilda asked.

"I'm dreaming that, but I'm hoping I'm just worrying over nothing." Drell replied. 

"I can assure you that you are not." Hilda said.

"Heh..." Drell smiled nervously. "Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom..."

"Stay..." Hilda glared, squeezing his hand. "You are in big trouble, Mister!"

Drell gulped as he looked very anxious. "No, really."

Hilda narrowed her eyes. Drell sunk in his chair, he had not seen Hilda that angry since he had unintentionally left her at the altar of their first wedding. 

Meanwhile, back at the Fudo house...

"Okay, Oddball, let me see if this works..." Patch came to his sleeping niece as he took out the costume spell. "'Please help this poor victim who is in a fix, Send them in a costume that will do the trick'!" he then recited.

A magical glow then took over Oddball and a poof of magic dust then transformed Oddball into the perfect Halloween costume for her which was a cute witch costume similar to what Wendy usually wore when preforming spells with her aunts. 

"How do I look?" Oddball asked.

"Oh, I woke you up." Patch said.

"I wasn't really asleep." Oddball smirked.

Patch rolled his eyes with a smirk, then took her to a mirror.

"Wicked!" Oddball beamed at her costume. 

"I thought you would like it." Patch smiled.

"Do you think Budderball will like it?" Oddball asked. 

"I'm sure he will." Patch said. 

Oddball smiled hopefully. They then went to bed and instantly fell asleep. Patch soon got a vision in his sleep. It was rather horrifying as he saw a rather scary black dog who looked quite evil. There was a beagle puppy who looked terrified of him. 

"Hello?!" Patch called out to the beagle puppy.

The beagle puppy seemed startled.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you." Patch said in a soothing tone of voice.

"Please help me." The beagle puppy said.

Patch rushed over to the beagle puppy. "What's your name, kid?"

"Pip." The beagle puppy replied while shaking out of fear.

"It's okay, Pip, no one's gonna hurt you." Patch promised. 

"The Halloween Hound." Pip shivered.

"Halloween Hound?" Patch replied while raising an eyebrow. 

"He's dangerous." Pip said.

"I'm sure I can take him on." Patch said.

"I don't want you to end up like my siblings." Pip frowned.

"What do you mean?" Patch asked.

"He took them..." Pip frowned. "He took their souls. He was about to get me too until the sun came up and my soul got separated and I became a ghost." 

"That's terrible." Patch frowned.

"I've been hoping to reunite with my brothers and sisters ever since this happened." Pip frowned.

"How long ago did this happen?" Patch asked.

"75 years ago." Pip sniffled as he sounded like he was about to cry. 

"Whoa, that's a long time." Patch said.

"I know... I haven't given up, I don't wanna quit, I really miss them." Pip said.

"Well, don't worry, I don't know how or when, but I'm going to help you get your brothers and sisters back." Patch promised. 

"Thank you." Pip smiled.

"You can count on me, Patch Pongo never lets anybody down." Patch saluted. 

"You do seem like a strong dog." Pip smiled.

"That I am," Patch smiled back. "Also, I'm a Pound Puppy."

"No way." Pip smiled.

"Way way," Patch nodded. "You've heard of us?" 

"Of course I have," Pip said. "The Pound Puppies have been around for years."

"Even back in your time? Whoa..." Patch was astounded. "Well, anyway, don't worry, I'll save you."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Pip sounded so grateful. "Just make sure no one says Halloween Hound while in front of the mirror."

"Sounds like the Bloody Mary myth Atticus told me about once." Patch said. 

"It's just like that." Pip said.

"I'll be sure to make note of that." Patch replied.

"Oh, thank you, you're a real life saver..." Pip said to Patch. "You don't know how much this means to me." 

"No prob." Patch smiled.

Pip smiled back. Everything then started to fade away.

"Oh, man, time to wake up." Patch noticed, but he then heard in his dream/vision B-Dawg's voice, and where he heard him say Halloween Hound three times. Patch's eyes widened as he then woke up, he stood up and looked around.

 

Atticus snored as he was fast asleep until his alarm went off, and where he slammed his fist down on it, due to wanting more sleep. Patch blinked, then smirked and went back to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day soon came. Atticus's alarm went off again.

Atticus squinted his eyes as he then turned off his alarm and stretched with a yawn in his bed. "Time to wake up, buddy."

Patch turned over, still asleep.

"Come on, Patch." Atticus said.

"Alright..." Patch said before stretching himself and jumping down to the floor.

"Good thing I have two alarm clocks." Atticus said.

The second alarm clock then rang in Patch's ears.

Atticus smirked. "Good morning."

Patch pouted as he then got up for real this time.

"It helps to have alarm clocks." Atticus smirked.

Emily made a 'spooky breakfast'.

"This food looks great, Mom." Casper smiled.

"How do you like your eggs, Casper?" Emily smiled back.

"Scrambled." Casper smiled.

Emily nodded, then made him scrambled eggs for his breakfast. Oddball came out with a smile to Jessica and Christopher.

"I can't wait to get to the field trip." Oddball smiled.

"I'm just surprised they let dogs on the bus." Jessica commented.

"We'll only be allowed as long as we don't cause trouble." Patch said as he walked in.

"Uncle Patch, you're awake!" Oddball beamed.

"Yeah you can thank Atticus for that." Patch said before they heard a yawn.

"Is it time for breakfast?" Salem asked.

"Salem, why aren't you in your own house?" Emily asked.

"Because my daughter lives there now with her husband." Salem replied.

"Let me rephrase that, why aren't you at the Spellman house?" Emily then asked.

"No one's there, and that means I don't have anyone to have conversations with or talk to." Salem said.

"Oh, so you are all alone?" Emily asked.

"I wasn't invited to visit Drell's parents for Halloween." Salem pouted.

"That's so sad." Emily frowned.

"Yeah..." Salem agreed.

"You want some milk?" Emily offered, putting a saucer in front of him.

"Just because I'm a cat now doesn't mean I--" Salem was about to say until his golden eyes widen. "Is that skim...?" he then lapped up the milk like a true cat.

"Oh, brother." Patch sighed.

The family then soon ate their breakfast and the kids then went back to their rooms to get their costumes ready.

Darla decided to wear her Ark Angel costume this year. 

"You still have that thing?" Atticus asked as he caught a glimpse of her.

"Yeah, I'm surprised too," Darla said as she had trouble getting the halo over her bow. "Uh, a little help?"

Atticus soon helped her with the halo. Darla sat down while she adjusted the tutu with her costume.

"Seems like just yesterday I first met you and you were wearing this thing..." Atticus said. "So, what were you thinking before Danny kinda upstaged you during your Little Boat on the Sea song?"

Darla hummed as she thought back to that.

Flashback

Darla was fast asleep in her bed, hugging a doll that resembled her until Max would come in with her breakfast to wake her up, and where once her curtains were open, she could already tell that Max had come in. The girl removed her sleep mask to see her master servant.

"Time for breakfast, Miss Dimpool." Max told the child.

"Thank you, Max." Darla replied as she then rolled out of bed to have a bowl of cereal which the public called 'Darla Smacks', and she began to enjoy the breakfast. She had her mind elsewhere though.

After breakfast, Max gave Darla her bath and got her dressed for the day and waited for her in the limo to take her to the studio to film her newest movie.

Darla was tying in her hair ribbon and looked to a picture she kept hidden from everyone else of her with her parents when she was a baby, she closed her eyes with tears in her eyes as she hugged the picture. "I miss you... But I wanna make you proud..."

End of Flashback

Darla wiped her eyes.

"You okay, Darla?" Atticus asked.

"Just thinking about how things used to be..." Darla replied softly.

"Well, at least the past is behind you." Jessica said.

Darla smiled to her big sister.

"You think you'd like to be a flower girl?" Jessica then asked innocently.

"Of course I would." Darla smiled.

"I thought you would." Jessica smiled.

"So, when's the wedding day then?" Atticus asked his sister.

"We can't decide if Spring or Summer." Jessica replied.

"How hard can it be to decide?" Oddball asked.

"Weddings are a lot of work." Patch told his niece.

"Hmm..." Oddball merely shrugged.

As soon as breakfast was over, Patch and Oddball hurried to the field trip. Salem decided to stay at the Fudo house as he was a guest now.

"Going out!" Patch told the family as he left with his niece.

"Have fun." Atticus smiled.

"See ya later!" Oddball smiled as she walked with Patch.

The two of them soon rushed to where the field trip was.

"Can you keep up?" Patch asked his niece.

"I'm right behind ya, Uncle Patch!" Oddball nodded as she ran with him.

"Good," Patch said. "Just wanted to know."

Oddball and Patch smiled as they rushed to make it to where the field trip was. The Buddies were in their costumes as they were going with their kids to the field trip as well.

"I hope they haven't started." Oddball said.

Patch did a double take to B-Dawg. "Hey, B-Dawg, I thought you were gonna be a Hip Hop Rapper!"

"Dude, so did I, I don't know what happened!" B-Dawg replied as he was in a bunny costume.

"Your boy's mother must have gotten confused." Oddball said.

"This is totally bogus, yo!" B-Dawg frowned.

The Buddies smirked to their brother in his costume.

"Wow, Oddball, you look great!" Budderball beamed to the dalmatian he liked.

"Thanks, Budderball." Oddball smiled.

Budderball smiled back.

"You look like a brave hero, like Krypto the Super Dog." Oddball beamed at his costume.

"Yeah." Patch smiled.

Budderball blushed slightly.

"Come, my friends, we have a journey ahead of us." Buddha said, dressed like an alien.

"Yes, we do." Patch smiled.

The Buddies' owners then came out to their respective puppies. Sam to Buddha, Bartleby to Budderball, Alice to Rosebud, Billy to B-Dawg, and finally Pete to MudBud. Patch and Oddball smiled to the kids that Patch and Colette had matched the Buddies with after their first ever adventure together.

"Hey there, boy." Bartleby smiled down to Patch.

"Nice to see you kids again." Patch smiled.

"I told my mom to give B-Dawg a 'Hip Hop Rapper' costume, but instead, she got me and B-Dawg these ridiculous bunny rabbit costumes." Billy frowned as his puppy was stuck in a bunny costume.

"Sorry to hear that." Patch put his paw to his muzzle.

The field trip soon started. The teacher took a quick role call and once everyone was accounted for, the bus then drove off to take them to their field trip destination. Patch sat on the floor with his niece and the Buddies.

"So, Rosebud, you missing Shasta?" Oddball asked.

"A little bit," Rosebud blushed. "I call him every night using the Twilight Bark."

"Aw!" Oddball smiled.

Rosebud turned even redder as they rode along on the bus.

They soon got to their destination. The bus then stopped and the teacher walked out with the kids as they came to a creepy looking house.

"Cherry would love this place." Patch commented.

"She sure would." Oddball said.

"Um, if you're scared, I could stand with you?" Budderball said to Oddball.

"I'm fine as long as I have Uncle Patch, but you can stand with us." Oddball offered to him.

"Thanks." Budderball said.

Oddball smiled. The kids stood close with their Buddies as they came out to see the creepy house.

"I wonder if there's a story behind it?" Patch said.

"There usually is." Pete said to the teenage dalmatian puppy.

"Nice." Patch smiled.

"It was 75 years ago today that the manor was boarded up, no one is exactly sure what happened that night, or whether the legend is even true at all, but it's an interesting part of Fernfield Folklore regardless." The kids and puppies were told about the legend that actually happened years and years ago.

Patch started to sniff the manor.

"I can't wait for tonight!" Budderball smiled. "Halloween's my favorite event of the year! You do a trick and you're guaranteed to get a treat!"

"It's trick or treat, Budderball." Rosebud sighed.

"Even better!" Budderball cheered.

"What I love are the costumes." Oddball smiled.

"I totally agree with you there, girlfriend." Rosebud agreed.

"They say if you say the Halloween Hound's name three times, you never get seen again." Billy told his friends.

"Where'd you hear that?" Pete asked.

"Don't listen, he's just trying to scare us." Alice scoffed.

"Really?" Patch asked.

"No, it's true," Billy defended. "It's the same with pets too for the Halloween Hound after all."

"Either way, this place gives me the creeps." Pete replied.

There was then a howl heard which startled the class instantly. Patch soon went to where the howling came from and bit someone on the butt that made the howling sound. The howling then became a painful yelp noise. 

"Owch..." A boy with the other boy winced from the bite.

"Okay, Rodney and Skip, no tricks!" The teacher scolded. "Come on, children, onto the bus, we have one more stop our spoooky ghost tour."

"Nice one, boy." Bartleby smirked.

The teacher giggled as she led the kids to the school bus. Rodney and Skip glared to Patch after he let go and he glared firmly to them for making fun of the others. Oddball and the Buddies stared up at one tree and saw an owl perched in it, remember hearing about an owl in the Halloween Hound story. 

"Where's B-Dawg hiding?" Rosebud asked after noticing there was something missing.

"Wasn't he next to you?" Oddball asked.

"I-I wasn't hidin', yo!" B-Dawg poked his head out. "I was just gettin' ready to pound that Halloween Hound!"

"Yeah, right," MudBud scoffed. "You're always such a scaredy cat like Scooby Doo."

"Oh, come on. Can he help it if he gets scared?" Oddball asked.

"He's a laughing stock and I'm the dirty one!" MudBud replied.

"Hey, don't yell at her!" Budderball glared at his muddy brother for saying that to Oddball.

"I'm just saying, he's got to have some bravery in him." Oddball said.

B-Dawg pouted a little as the others talked about his cowardice.

"I mean, the only way he could prove he was brave is if he could say Halloween Hound three times in the mirror in that manor without running away." Budderball said.

This seemed to give B-Dawg an idea.

"I have a bad feeling." Oddball commented.

"Same here." Patch said.

"Should we go then?" Rosebud asked. "Alice and I need to get stylin' for tonight."

"Sure, but I think we need to go and get B-Dawg out of the manor." Patch said as he saw B-Dawg go inside the manor.

"Stop him, Uncle Patch!" Oddball urged.

"You guys wait here, I'll be right back." Patch told the young puppies and ran inside the manor.

B-Dawg continued his way into the manor and to find the mirror. He looked around nervously as he stumbled into the manor.

"B-Dawg, get over here!" Patch whispered loudly. 

B-Dawg found the mirror and stopped in front of it once he saw his reflection. "Here we go, B-Dawg, just say it three times and it will all be over." 

There was a ghost puppy flying into the room then.

"Halloween Hound." B-Dawg said one time.

The ghost pup floated a little closer.

"Halloween Hound." B-Dawg said the second time.

"Okay, B-Dawg, that's enough, let's get back to your brothers and sister and my niece." Patch said.

"S-Stop, please, don't say it!" The ghost puppy flew over.

"Patch, look, it's the--" B-Dawg started out of fear.

"B-Dawg, please, don't say--" Patch tried to stop him.

"HALLOWEEN HOUND!" B-Dawg screamed.

"That." Patch sighed.

"Oh, no, you said it three times!" the ghost puppy panicked.

"Run for your life!" B-Dawg screamed as he ran away.

"B-Dawg, wait!" Patch called out.

B-Dawg continued to run out. Once Oddball and the Buddies saw a ghost puppy, they screamed and ran off themselves.

"Wait, I'm not the Halloween Hound!" The ghost puppy piped up, but he was too late.

"B-Dawg and the Buddies have no idea what they have done." Patch sighed. 

The owl saw the puppies running off and went to go follow them. Patch sighed before he teleported out.

"That was a ghost, dogs!" B-Dawg told his siblings and friend. "Like a real, off the chain, ghoul!"

"Was that the Halloween Hound?" MudBud asked.

"I said Halloween Hound into the mirror three times, dog!" B-Dawg replied. "I released the Halloween Hound!"

"B-Dawg, you know what Uncle Patch said!" Oddball yelped.

"That wasn't the Halloween Hound!" Patch told them as he appeared.

"Uncle Patch, you're okay!" Oddball looked relieved.

"Yes, I'm fine..." Patch nuzzled against his niece, also glad that she was safe. "Anyway, guys, that wasn't the Halloween Hound."

"Wait, it wasn't?" The Buddies asked.

"No, it wasn't, come on, let's get back to your kids." Patch said.

The Buddies looked to each other as they then caught up with the human kids on their field trip.

"If that wasn't the Halloween Hound, who was it then, Uncle Patch?" Oddball asked.

"It was Pip." Patch said.

"Who's Pip?" Oddball asked.

"You know how I have visions?" Patch replied. "Well, I saw him last night. He warned me about the Halloween Hound."

"D-Do you think I helped release him?" B-Dawg asked.

Patch sighed slightly to B-Dawg.

Back in the Netherworld...

There was a dance going on and Drell awkwardly danced with Hilda while he shook another chill down his spine.

"Drell, what's wrong?" Hilda asked.

"Excuse me, I need to check something." Drell smiled nervously to her, then zipped out in a cartoonish fashion.

Hilda watched him go and looked deeply concerned. Drell then took out his wand and teleported to where Cherry and Atticus were.

Cherry and Atticus were in the auditorium of Canterlot High and they then turned over as they saw Drell teleport to them.

"Drell, what's going on?" Atticus asked.

"Halloween Hound..." Drell panted. "I know he's been released... Uh... What're you guys doing?"

"Making sure this place is ready for the next Fall Formal." Cherry replied.

"Oh... Okay... Anyway, come with me!" Drell grabbed them in his arms and teleported back into the Netherworld with them.

"Oh, come on!" Atticus complained.

"Hey!" Cherry glared.

Drell then put the two down and folded his arms. "Guess what time it is?"

"Please don't make me play this game again." Cherry begged.

"I want your help against the Halloween Hound and his owner..." Drell said. "There was a male named Warwick who took the souls of these puppies with his Halloween Hound."

"And...?" Atticus asked.

"My father's name is Warwick..." Drell dapped his knuckles together. "It can't be a coincidence."

"Seriously?" Cherry asked.

"Yes..." Drell replied. "Also, I may have something to do with the Halloween Hound."

"Uh, no, I'm not participating in this..." Cherry droned.

"Just let Patch, Salem, Oddball, and the Buddies handle this one." Atticus said.

"Yeah, this is more animal territory." Cherry replied.

"I think my dad might be evil..." Drell sounded scared for the first time in his life.

"Really?" Cherry asked.

"He didn't talk much about his past before he met my mother..." Drell pouted. 

"Drell, are you scared?" Atticus asked.

"Maybe..." Drell replied as his voice cracked.

"Still, the animals can handle this one." Cherry said.

"Don't you care about my needs?" Drell asked.

"Do I have to?" Cherry asked.

"We'll give it time, but if anything happens, I'll talk with Patch." Atticus decided since Patch was his puppy.

"Alright." Drell said.

"You wanna stay with us though, don't you?" Cherry deadpanned.

"Oh, thank you for understanding..." Drell hugged the two tightly.

"What about Hilda?" Atticus asked.

"I guess I'll have to bring her along." Drell said.

"Or you could just go back to where you came from." Cherry said through her teeth.

"Seriously?" Drell asked.

"Yes... Bye-Bye now... See you later..." Cherry rushed him.

"Of course you can bring her along, as well as Zelda so then she won't be tortured with whatever they are going to be doing next." Atticus said.

"Zelda?" Drell sounded exhausted about his sister-in-law.

"Zelda's cool... Most of the time..." Cherry replied. "She helped me with my science homework back in Greendale."

"Oh, alright, she can be included." Drell said.

"Thanks, Drelly Bean." Cherry smirked.

Drell narrowed his eyes before tackling Cherry and pinning her down. Atticus then went to pull the warlock off of his best friend.

"NEVER EVER CALL ME THAT, UNDERSTAND?!" Drell growled as he gripped Cherry's throat.

Atticus soon pulled him off Cherry. Cherry gasped and panted as she then sat up. Drell was then on the ground with Atticus sitting on his back.

"Don't ever do that to my best friend again." Atticus said.

"Tell her to never call me Drelly Bean again." Drell replied.

"Cherry, don't call him 'Drelly Bean' again..." Atticus said before cracking up at the name.

"Oh, fine." Cherry pouted.

Atticus snickered and laughed out loud which made Cherry then laugh.

Drell growled at the two of them. "Shut up or you're both dog meat!"

"Yeah, right!" Cherry laughed.

Drell growled at them sharply while Cherry and Atticus just kept laughing at his childhood nickname.


	5. Chapter 5

Back in the Netherworld...

"Enchantra, as much as I like being the King of all Wiccans, I really must get back to my family." Patrick said to the Queen of all Witches.

"You're right, Patrick." Enchantra said.

Patrick smiled then.

"Unfortunately, the Halloween Hound has been summoned by a golden retriever puppy." Enchantra then said.

"Golden retriever puppy?" Patrick replied. "Sounds like one of the Buddies that Patch looks after for Buddy and Molly."

"Does one of them wear what some teenagers call 'Bling-Bling'?" Enchantra asked.

"That one's B-Dawg," Patrick replied before his eyes then widened. "B-Dawg released the Halloween Hound!"

"Yes, but I think he did it by accident." Enchantra said.

"Well, I would hope so..." Patrick said. "Can't we do something to send the Halloween Hound back to where he came from though?"

"The only way is by using Warwick's spell book." Enchantra said.

"Isn't Warwick Drell's dad's name?" Patrick asked nervously.

"Yes." Enchantra nodded.

"Surely it's a coincidence..." Patrick hoped.

"It's hard to say..." Enchantra replied.

"Maybe Warwick has an evil twin like the Spellmans?" Patrick shrugged nervously.

"Doubtful." Enchantra said.

Patrick was hoping that this Warwick was not Drell's father, Drell was his friend after all, even if he was a pain in the butt sometimes.

"Anyway, we must be on high alert." Enchantra said.

"Yes, ma'am." Patrick agreed.

Back in the Mortal Realm...

Cherry and Atticus filled a baggy with some of their Halloween candy that their parents would give out tonight and then went to the Brown house. Cherry hopped on Atticus's back and rang the doorbell and he ran with her on his back into the bushes.

Mo answered the door, having messy hair and in her robe. "Hello? Hello..." she looked around before frowning. "Oh, well, it is Halloween..." she was then about to go back inside until she then looked down to see the goody bag and picked it up to see candy just for her and it made her smile before she then wondered where it came from. "Wait, where did this come from?" 

Cherry and Atticus's giggles were heard.

Mo overheard them and smirked before she had a rough cough. "Very funny, guys!"

Atticus and Cherry both soon came out from their hiding place.

"Mo, sounds like you've got a cold." Atticus said.

"I do..." Mo frowned. "Junior's class got sick last week and I caught it while I was helping Elizabeth nurse him."

"Oh, my..." Atticus frowned back.

"Anything we can do?" Cherry asked.

"Sure... Put me out of my misery, I hate getting sick!" Mo sniffled before blowing her nose.

"How's about we help you get back to bed so you can get better?" Atticus suggested.

"Please, I'd hate to go alone." Mo said.

Cherry and Atticus then helped Mo by holding her arms and helping her back upstairs to her bedroom.

"Jeez, Mo, I hate seeing you like this..." Atticus frowned.

"Trust me, I hate it too." Mo groaned.

Cherry pulled back the covers as Atticus then lowered Mo into her bed and tucked her in. Mo coughed and sniffled before sitting up and took a sip of Elizabeth's tea for her throat.

"We'll be downstairs if you need us." Atticus said.

"Oh, you guys don't need to stay," Mo said. "I mean, Halloween is Cherry's favorite time of the year."

"Maybe, but your health is more important." Atticus said.

"Well... Okay..." Mo smiled softly. "Atticus, I hear you cook... Do you know how to make chicken soup?"

"I sure do." Atticus smiled.

"Could you be a dear and make me some, please?" Mo pleaded with a light sniffle.

"You want carrots and celery?" Atticus asked.

"Totally... Honey carrots.." Mo nodded.

"Your order shall be served." Atticus said.

Mo giggled weakly with a small smile.

Atticus then went to cook for her. "Cherry, act like a nurse."

Cherry rolled her eyes and sat down next to Mo with her legs crossed. Atticus soon got started on the soup.

"Ooh, are you making a brew?" Salem asked. "Hilda and Zelda would be so proud."

"It's soup..." Atticus replied before glancing down. "What're you doing here anyway? There's dogs here!"

"Hey, I like to travel." Salem smirked.

"I'm making this soup for Mo, she's sick." Atticus said.

"Sick of what?" Salem asked before panicking. "It's not that Gargoyle Flu, is it?"

"No, she's got a cold." Mo said.

"Oh, okay, a mortal ailment... Should be fine then." Salem relaxed.

Atticus rolled his eyes as he put in honey as Mo preferred for her soup. He soon heard some muffling going on in the living room. Atticus put his hand to his ear, then looked down to the black cat. "Watch the soup."

Salem nodded and hopped up onto the counter beside the pot.

Atticus then went into the living room to see what was going on, and where when he looked into the living room, he saw Mo all tied up and gagged and didn't look sick. "What...?" he then asked, coming to the couch and removed the gag.

Mo panted and gasped. "Oh, Atticus!"

"Mo...?" Atticus looked confused. "Why aren't you upstairs with Cherry?"

"Quickly, get Cherry and get out of the house, that's not the real me." Mo said.

"Uh, okay..." Atticus backed up after untying her and ran up the stairs. "CHERRY! Cherry!"

Cherry had been grabbed by the fake Mo and was now being taken away to Warwick.

"Cherry!" Atticus ran into the room and looked around before panicking as the bedroom was empty.

Mo rushed to Atticus's side and saw that her room was empty as well. "Oh, no, I was afraid of this."

"Okay, who the heck was that?" Atticus asked.

"I'm not sure, but that wasn't the real me," Mo said. "I heard the fable about the Halloween Hound."

"Oh, Mo, don't tell me you believe in that old puppy's tale too." Atticus replied.

"But it's true, that fake me even said that she was going to use Cherry as a sacrifice to Warwick so then he could have more magic to perform the spell he did years ago." Mo said.

"Why Cherry though?" Atticus asked.

"A dream-benders magic is very powerful." Mo said.

"It is?" Atticus asked. "And Cherry felt useless all these years."

"She must be taking her to the old manor." Mo said.

"We have to stop Warwick, no matter what it takes..." Atticus said in determination.

"Agreed." Mo nodded.

"Come on, let's go." Atticus said.

Mo and Atticus then came downstairs as the puppies and Junior came to see what was going on.

"Oh, man, forgot about them..." Mo then realized that the adults weren't home and she couldn't leave her brother and the puppies alone.

"What's going on?" Junior yawned.

"Um, well, I need to go for a bit..." Mo knelt by him.

"But you promised I could trick-or-treat with you and your friends." Junior pouted.

"Dang it, that's right." Mo said.

"Sorry, kiddo, but we have official business." Atticus said.

"Sorry, Atticus, but I can't leave them alone..." Mo said to him. "My parents would kill me!"

"Where are you going?" Junior asked. "Can we come with you?"

"It might be dangerous, but this bad guy's taken Cherry away and we need to get her back." Mo replied.

"Aw, let us come!" Danielle pleaded. "I've wanted an adventure ever since Atticus and Scamp had one!"

"I want to have an adventure with you guys." Junior pouted.

"Oh, JJ, it might be too dangerous for you..." Mo frowned softly to her little brother. "I'd hate for anything to happen to you."

"Please!" Junior begged.

"Oh, guys..." Mo said.

The puppies then began to beg and plead with the young boy.

Mo sighed. "Well... Okay."

"Yes!" Junior then cheered.

"Let's get you dressed for Halloween then." Atticus said.

"Yeah..." Junior smiled.

"Us too!" the teenage puppies wanted costumes as well.

"Alright, alright." Atticus chuckled.

"I just hope my parents understand..." Mo sighed about taking them along for this adventure.

"I'm sure they will." Atticus said.

Meanwhile...

"Where am I...?" Cherry looked around as she was locked up.

"Oh, you're just in an old manor." A female voice told her.

Cherry looked around. "Mom, your voice has changed..."

"I'm not your mother." The female voice said.

"Who are you...?" Cherry asked, though she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"My name is Babayaga." The female voice said.

Cherry's eyes widened. "My mom heard about you when she was a kid," she then said. "You're an evil woman who eats the innocent."

"Indeed, but for you, not today, you are a sacrifice." Babayaga smirked.

"Sacrifice...?" Cherry whimpered. "Me? Why?!"

"Because of your dream-bending powers." Babayaga smirked.

"Oh, you know about that?" Cherry chuckled nervously. "Oh, that's not real magic..."

"Oh, but it is." Babayaga smirked evilly.

"No, no, I'd love to stay and chat, but I really must get going..." Cherry stood up. "I really need to... RUN!" she then rushed off before getting blocked by an invisible barrier at the front door of the manor. "What the?! Hey!" she then tried to push against it to get out, but she found herself stuck.

"You're not going anywhere." Babayaga smirked.

"Why can't I get out?!" Cherry grunted and struggled.

"No one can get out..." a voice said.

Cherry turned around to see the ghost puppy right behind her.

"Hello..." Pip smiled slightly.

Cherry's eyes lolled back into her head and she passed out then.

"Wow." Babayaga said, unimpressed.

"Oh, dear..." Pip looked worried for the fallen perky goth.

Cherry then woke up and sat up, rubbing her head. "Sorry, I've seen lots of things, but never a ghost puppy."

"Really?" Pip asked.

"You remind me of when I first met Casper McFadden." Cherry replied.

"Really?" Pip smiled.

"Yeah..." Cherry replied.

"You can talk to animals too?" Pip then asked.

"Yes, it's both annoying and a gift," Cherry replied before doing a double take. "Wait, you're that puppy that the Halloween Hound took the soul of."

"Yep, that's me." Pip said.

"Oh, my... I'm not much of a dog person, but that sounds rather sad..." Cherry said.

"I know..." Pip frowned. "I've been wanting to reunite with them forever."

"You will soon." Cherry said.

"Oh, my... I'm not much of a dog person, but that sounds rather sad..." Cherry said.

"I know..." Pip frowned. "I've been wanting to reunite with them forever."

"You will soon." Cherry said.

"I hope you're right." Pip replied.

"I know I'm right." Cherry said.

Pip snickered to that slightly.

Cherry glanced at the ghost puppy, then looked out the window. "Atticus should be coming up with a plan right about now."

"A friend of yours?" Babayaga smirked.

"Yeah, and he's the smartest boy in the world!" Cherry glared at the Babayaga.

"He?!" Babayaga laughed.

Cherry growled at the witch woman. "You are more annoying than Sarah Ravencroft or the Sanderson sisters."

"Whatever." Babayaga said.

"I'll show you whatever..." Cherry narrowed her eyes.

"That doesn't make any sense." Pip said.

"I'm just too smart for you I guess." Cherry smirked.

"You' won't be laughing for long." Babayaga mocked her.

"Oh, really?" Cherry smirked.

"Yes, really, might as well get comfortable, girly." Babayaga replied maliciously.

"Atticus and the others will stop you and whoever you are working for." Cherry said.

"I'd like to see them try, delicious deary..." Babayaga taunted.

Cherry stuck her tongue out.

Meanwhile, back with Patch...

Patch looked out the window until it would be time for trick-or-treating so he could take Oddball out for the night.

"Is it time yet?" Oddball asked.

"Almost..." Patch replied. "Just about..."

There were then kids in costumes walking down the streets.

"NOW!" Patch smiled.

"Wahoo!" Oddball smiled back.

"You ready?" Patch asked as he walked over to her.

"Uh-huh, are the Buddies coming with us?" Oddball asked back, hopefully.

"Yep." Patch nodded.

Oddball beamed before her eyes widened and she ran out the back door with too much excitement.

Patch chuckled. "Well, at least she's going before we leave." He then went to rush outside with his niece.

Oddball went behind a tree and came out, feeling much better now. "Okay, let's go, Uncle Patch."

"Ohh, so that's why you rushed out here." Patch smiled.

"I guess I drank too much water while I was waiting." Oddball smiled sheepishly.

"Well, anyway, let's go." Patch said.

Oddball nodded and walked with him to meet the Buddies. 

"See ya guys later!" Jessica called with a smile as she was dressed like a stereotypical witch with a black dress and a pointed hat as she poured candy into a Jack-O-Lantern bowl.

"Is the candy ready?" Emily asked.

"Yep, all ready for trick-or-treaters." Jessica smiled to her mother.

"Great." Emily smiled.

Jessica then handed the bowl to her mother. "Come on, Christopher, we promised to trick-or-treat with Darla and her friends for two hours!" she then called out to her boyfriend.

"I'm coming!" Christopher called back.

"He's coming." Jessica smirked as she then snuck a Hershey's kiss from the bowl.

"Put it back." Emily said without looking.

"It's just one piece, Mommy~" Jessica pouted.

"Oh... Fine, you can have it." Emily said.

Jessica giggled as she then popped the chocolate in her mouth. Christopher then came down in a stereotypical wizard costume with a blue robe with stars and moon crescents with a hat and a gray beard with a book in his arm.

"You sure you're allowed to borrow your father's spell book?" Emily asked.

"Ah, Dad's in the Netherworld, it'll be okay." Jessica reassured.

"Well... Okay." Emily said.

"Darla, are you ready to go?!" Jessica called out. 

"I'll be right down!" Darla called back.

"Well, hurry up!" Jessica told her.

"Can't rush perfection..." Darla said as she tied on the wings of her costume. After a little while, she was ready and costume, and soon came downstairs. 

"Okay, let's go pick up your friends and hit the road." Jessica smiled to her little sister.

"Yeah!" Darla smiled.

Jessica and Christopher then took their leave with Darla to then pick up her friends to trick-or-treat with them as it was a kids' favorite past time this time of year. Emily waved to them as they left and she sat in on the couch with the candy bowl in her lap as she then decided to watch TV to pass the time. As she saw a commercial for a wife and her husband together, she looked to her wedding ring and sighed sadly as she missed Patrick a lot right now.

Meanwhile, Patch and Oddball made it to the Buddies. They were in their costumes. Buddha was an alien, Budderball was a super dog, Rosebud was a princess, B-Dawg was a bunny rabbit, and MudBud was a pirate.

"Nice costumes, Buddies." Patch smiled.

"Thanks, Patch." The Buddies said.

"Oh, Budderball, I love your costume so much." Oddball smiled.

Budderball blushed. "Yours is pretty great too."

"Thanks." Oddball blushed back.

Patch smirked to the two, but said nothing as he was a bit more mature than the puppies were.

"Let's get our trick-or-treating on." Budderball said.

"Royalty first." Rosebud smirked since she was a girl.

"Hey!" Oddball complained playfully.

"Okay, witches too." Rosebud then said. 

The Buddies' owners then came out to trick-or-treat with their puppies.

'I wonder what treats the houses will have?' Patch thought to himself.

"I hope they have Milkbones." Budderball hoped, thinking with his stomach as usual.

"We'll have to see." Patch said.

"I'm gonna check out that manor." Billy said to the other others.

"I suggest you don't." Patch said.

"Aw, come on, Patch...." Billy replied. "What harm could it do?"

"Because dude, I saw the Halloween Hound!" B-Dawg told his owner.

"For the last time, that wasn't the Halloween Hound!" Patch told them. "It was the ghost of Pip the Beagle Puppy!"

"Like, how do you know?" B-Dawg asked.

"Because I talked to him while you ran away." Patch narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Oh..." B-Dawg smiled sheepishly.

"We're not messing with him and nothing, and nobody is taking us to that manor, Billy!" Patch then firmly told the puppy's human.

"Why?" Billy asked.

"Because I said so," Patch replied firmly. "That, and Warwick the Warlock and the Halloween Hound will most likely get out of the mirror."

"Warwick?" Billy asked before taking out a sketchpad. "I have a drawing of him."

"Let me see." Patch smiled.

Billy knelt down an showed Patch his rough sketch of what he imagined Warwick looked like, with a pointy beard and robes like in fantasy books or movies dealing with magic such as Harry Potter.

"That looks just like Drell's father." Patch said.

"Drell?" Billy replied, never hearing that name before.

"Let's just say the guy is strong and knows his way around magic." Patch said.

"Hmm..." Billy commented.

'So this Warwick is Drell's father... Why would he be doing such an evil deed?' Patch thought to himself, worriedly.

"Uh, maybe we should stay away from the manor." B-Dawg said, scared.

"Yes, maybe you should." Patch then said firmly to B-Dawg since he was the one who had summoned the Halloween Hound.

"Let's get to trick-or-treating." Budderball said.

"Hungry, are we?" Oddball teased.

Budderball laughed when she did it.

"Aw!" Rosebud smiled.

Budderball and Oddball then blushed to Rosebud. The kids went door to door to trick or treat.


	6. Chapter 6

Atticus and Mo walked together with Junior in a Spider-Man costume while Scamp wore a Krypto costume, Annette wore a Queen of Hearts outfit, Colette wore a heavenly angel outfit, and Danielle was a little devil.

"Why did you want to go as a little devil again?" Mo asked Danielle.

"Because I'm Collie's opposite." Danielle giggled.

"Oh, that's right." Mo said.

"So, Atticus, I guess you are always going to have to go sleeveless since your muscles are too much for shirts with sleeves." Scamp said.

"I'll try something..." Atticus said. "It's cold tonight."

"But you don't seem to be phased by the cold." Mo said to Atticus.

"Well... Okay..." Atticus shrugged as he then took out a wand to give himself an appropriate costume, and where he was now dressed as He-Man. "Ah, much better."

Mo looked curious before thinking about it. "Prince Adam from Eternia?"

"Close, but it's actually He-Man." Atticus told her.

"Ah..." Mo giggled. "By the power of Gray Skull!"

Junior looked amazed with Atticus's costume a lot better than his Spider-Man costume. "I sure wish I was as strong as you, Atticus." he then commented.

"Maybe someday you will." Atticus smiled down to him.

Junior smiled back as he then flexed his arms which made the others giggle. "But how will I get to be as strong as you someday? You got your strength from the Greek gods." he asked and then said.

"Maybe when you're a little older, I'll start training you before we go to college." Atticus suggested.

"Okay." Junior said.

Atticus smiled to the boy. They then continued to trick-or-treat, but Atticus and Mo had their minds on Cherry.

"I wonder where Patch is?" Colette said.

"Oh, I'm sure he's fine..." Annette said, trying not to scratch herself.

"You okay there, Annette?" Angel smirked.

"Fine..." Annette grinned nervously. "A proper lady doesn't scratch in public."

"You've got an itch, don't ya?" Scamp smirked.

"No, no, I'm fine..." Annette smiled nervously as her left eye twitched.

Scamp shrugged, then scratched behind his ear with his back hind leg. This only caused Annette to twitch, wanting to scratch herself as well. The other seemed to scratch themselves.

"GAH! NO FAIR!" Annette cried out, then scratched herself before groaning in pleasure, feeling so good right now.

"Annette, by any chance, do you have fleas?" Scamp asked.

"Moi?! Fleas?! No way!" Annette huffed. "Not in a million dog years!"

"When was the last time you had a bath?" Scamp asked.

"Is that a trick question?!" Annette snorted. "I always bathe! My favorite thing in the whole world is to take a bath!"

"Yeah, back when you, Danielle, and Collette were lame." Scamp rolled his eyes.

"Then why are you itchy?" Scamp asked.

"I-I don't know!" Annette complained. "You're all making me itchy!"

Patch soon decided to take a look to see that there were in fact fleas in Annette's fur.

"Okay, who's playing a trick on me?" Annette complained. "I know Halloween's all about tricks and treats, but come on!"

"I'm sure with a little magic, they'll be gone." Patch said.

"Hurry!" Annette begged.

Patch soon came closer and used some magic to deflea her.

Annette soon stopped scratching and looked relieved. "Oh... I've never felt so good in all my life..." she then smiled.

"Better?" Patch asked.

"Much..." Annette said in relief. "Anyway, as we were..."

They soon went back to do what they were doing, but a certain warlock was in the neighborhood, but he was actually up to no good because tonight was 75 years after a certain incident, and where he was with a certain evil dog.

"I'm hungry..." Cherry said as she soon took out a Kit Kat bar and began to unwrap it. "This should satisfy me for now."

The warlock soon looked down at her and his dog growled at her.

"Oh... Hello..." Cherry smiled nervously, waving to the dog since it was a pretty big dog. "You two sure do look terrifying, and I really like how real those skulls look on that fake chain."

"Fake...?" The warlock asked her, almost as if he felt insulted.

"Man, this is amazing," Cherry said. "I gotta tell Atticus." She soon went off to go and tell her best friend.

The big dog growled and soon came to get Cherry.

"Okay, sir, control your dog..." Cherry said to the warlock before she kept going.

"The nerve that creature, saying that your skulls and chain were fake." The warlock glared.

A bunch of other people came out in their costumes.

"And evil creatures are roaming the streets?!" The warlock asked upon seeing them, thinking that they were real monsters and creatures from the Netherworld. "That pink goblin is hideous!"

"You misled me, Warwick; this town has already been taken over." The big dog told the warlock.

"Quickly, Hound! We still have some time," Warwick told the big dog. "Go and find your puppy souls!"

The big dog then went to go and do just that.

The Buddies soon ran with their humans to go over to the next house to continue trick-or-treating, and where Patch and the others decided to join them. Bartleby soon rang the door knocker as it cackled like a wicked witch as the door opened.

"Duuude... Who dares knock on my door?" A man smiled as he came out the door, looking like a zombie surfer dude.

"Ooh, wicked costume." Mo smiled.

"Just call me 'Frankendude'." The man chuckled.

"Oh! Hello, children." A certain woman smiled as she came to the door, also dressed up.

"Mrs. Carroll!" Alice, Billy, Pete, Sam, and Bartleby smiled back to their teacher.

"It's Mrs. Frankendude." Mrs. Carroll whispered with a small smile.

"Cool costume." Atticus smiled back.

"Welcome to our spooky house," Mrs. Carroll smiled as she held a candy bowl with her husband. "So, what do you think?"

"It's totally awesome!" Bartleby beamed.

"Oh, yeah." Mo nodded.

"Rad, yeah! Let Frankendude help you out there, all right?" Mr. Carroll smiled as he gave the kids their candy. "Except one per costumer or Frankendude will get upset, and then have to storm the village!" he then warned in a scary monster voice to set the mood. "That will be uncool!"

"Oh, totally." Mo nodded.

The kids then thanked the adults and told them good night as they collected their candy.

"Later!" Mr. Carroll called out.

"Shaka, brah!" Mrs. Carroll added, giving a Hawaiian hand gesture.

"Bye." Mo smiled.

"Let's go check out the next house, guys!" Billy called out as they soon rushed off away from the Carroll house.

"Let's hurry up!" Sam added.

The puppies stayed behind started to pout and whine for their own treats.

"It's time for us to get some treats," Budderball told the others as he walked forward to climb up onto the porch. "Watch and learn."

"Watch the master do his work." Oddball smiled.

Mrs. Carroll cooed over Budderball's cuteness as he looked up at them.

"The dude begs, he chases his tail, then rolls over," MudBud observed. "And for the finale, Budderball's signature trick: Plays 'Starving'!"

"And they fall in for it." Patch smiled.

"If Budderball's an expert at anything, it's begging for treats." Rosebud commented.

Mr. Carroll smiled and soon gave Budderball a Milkbone which he ate and soon came back to the others.

"Well done." Salem told Budderball as he came over.

The kids continued to have fun as it was Halloween night.

Atticus checked his phone seeing that he had a text from Cherry. "'OMG dude with totally fake skulls, actually looks kinda cool, you should've seen it, LOL'." He then began to text her back with a question mark.

Cherry rolled her eyes while texting Atticus before shivering. "Brr... Just got a cold chill..." she then muttered to herself before smirking. "Oh, no, maybe it was a ghost," She soon saw Pip's ghost. "Whaat the...?" she muttered.

"Hi!" Pip smiled.

"Hi..." Cherry blinked to the ghost dog.

"Have you seen some puppies and a grown dog?" Pip asked her.

"You'd have to be more specific." Cherry replied.

"I believe the puppies were Golden Retrievers that I remember." Pip said.

"Ohh... The Buddies..." Cherry replied. "I'm not sure exactly where they went, I don't hang around them much."

"Oh..." Pip frowned.

"But my best friend's Dalmatian dog Patch does." Cherry said.

"Can you maybe take me to them?" Pip asked.

"Sure... But... Um..." Cherry said before looking around. "We should let you blend in so people don't freak out about you being a ghost."

"You sound so understanding." Pip commented.

"Well... I used to know a friendly ghost once." Cherry had to admit.

"That's nice." Pip smiled.

A little boy dressed up like a ghost soon came up to Pip.

"Hey, another ghost!" Pip smiled. "Maybe he can help."

"That's just a kid in a ghost costume." Cherry said.

The kid soon reached out to touch Pip.

Pip giggled to that. "That tickles~"

"GHOST!" The kid soon screamed out, dropping his sheet and soon ran down the block to his parents. "Help, Mom! I just saw a real ghost!"

"Time to go home," His mother told him. "You've had enough sugar for one night."

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed before getting an idea.

"I guess ghosts are scary..." Pip said. "You're right, I should disguise myself."

"Here, try this on." Cherry told him, putting the sheet over him.

Pip soon laughed to that before floating beside her in his new ghost costume so no one would freak out since he was an actual ghost.

"Alright, now we just have to find them." Cherry said.

Meanwhile...

"That was such a jackpot!" Billy smiled.

"I got all my favorite candy." Alice smiled back.

An owl was soon flying through the air as they walked off from that house to go to the next one, and saw something in one of the kids' hands. "Ooh, there's the master's staff..." he said to himself while in flight.

"That sure is an impressive staff." Atticus smiled.

"Thanks, Atticus." Billy smiled back.

"And that crystal must be electronic with how it's glowing." Atticus said.

They soon came to the next house.

"Trick-or-Treat~" The kids smiled and were soon given candy.

"There they are." Cherry told Pip as they soon came to the yard where the dogs were waiting while the humans got their candy.

"Thank you for your help." Pip smiled at Cherry.

"Charmed." Cherry replied before bowing with a small smirk.

"There you are," Pip said as he came to the Buddies. "Thank goodness I found you guys!"

"Yo, if you're looking for a pawtograph, I ain't in the mood." B-Dawg told Pip, a little scared.

"B-Dawg, I'm sure there's a reason why this guy has been looking for us." Patch said.

"There is," Pip replied as he looked to them. "I'm here to warn you about the Halloween Hound."

"How did you know about that?" Rosebud asked.

The sheet soon came off of Pip which revealed his true form.

"It's the Halloween Hound!" B-Dawg yelled out of fear. "I told you dawgs he'd come after us!"

"If he is the Halloween Hound, then wouldn't he be bigger and not look like a ghost?" Oddball asked.

"Who else could he possibly be?!" B-Dawg cried out. "Run, dawgs!"

The Buddies soon ran away from Pip.

"You're not the Halloween Hound, are you?" Oddball asked Pip.

"No, I'm not." Pip told her.

"I knew it! You must be the ghost of the last puppy that didn't get his spirit taken." Oddball said.

"Long time no see, pup." Salem told the ghost puppy.

"You sound familiar..." Pip said to the older black cat.

"Perhaps my name will remind you, it's Salem." The black cat familiar told him.

"Salem..." Pip repeated. "Salem Saberhagen?"

"That would be me!" Salem nodded to the ghost puppy.

"I hardly recognized you." Pip said.

"Well, a lot's changed in that time." Salem replied.

"I'm sorry the Buddies ran away, scared." Oddball pouted to Pip.

"They just got really spooked from the story about the Halloween Hound." Patch told Pip.

"Well, I guess I can't blame them for that." Pip replied.

"We better find them." Patch said.

"I think I can smell Budderball from here." Oddball said before following the scent.

They then went to catch up with the Golden Retriever puppies.

"Cherry, thank you for helping." Patch smiled to the perky goth.

"Sure." Cherry shrugged.

"And please make sure you don't ever meet Warwick or the Halloween Hound." Pip told her.

"Um... Sure." Cherry replied.

The dogs soon went off on their own while she walked off by herself.

"Yo! This ghost dog just doesn't give up!" B-Dawg yelped. "What do we do now?"

"I know a place," Buddha replied. "If there's anyone who can help us with a paranormal problem, it's Zelda. Follow me."

"You guys, stop!" Oddball told her best friends.

"We've got to find some way to make them stop." Salem said.

"Please, wait!" Pip cried out to the Buddies. "I'm just trying to warn you guys!"

The big dog was soon seen and soon looked over to the puppies after sniffing for a while. "That must be them..." he then saw Pip floating around with Patch, Oddball, and Salem. "It looks like someone else is after those puppies too."

The Buddies' owners soon ran from the house after getting their candy and panted slightly.

"This house must be next." Mo panted.

"There?" Bartleby asked. "We can't go trick-or-treating there!"

"What's wrong with it?" Mo asked.

"Look at their house!" Bartleby told her, showing how plain the house looked compared to the others in the neighborhood. "Talk about no Halloween spirit!"

"You're right, but still, we can't leave this person's house out on trick-or-treating." Mo said.

"That house looks familiar..." Billy said as he soon took out an old photograph and saw why he thought that. "Hey! Guys, the boy from the story lived here. This was Joseph's house."

"Well, go knock on the door, Billy," Alice suggested. "Maybe he still lives there."

"Yeah, you never know, but he might." Atticus added.

"Won't he be... Uh... I dunno... Old like Aunt Sarah though?" Junior asked.

"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained." Sam advised. 

"That's right." Mo said.

Billy soon opened the gate so that they could go over there. He then knocked on the door, but no one answered, so he shrugged. "I guess nobody's home," he then said to his friends. "See? I told you guys. It's just a creepy old house with nobody in it." 

An old man soon came up behind him after answering the door which made the others gasp.

"What?" Billy asked them. 

"He's right behind you." Junior gulped.

"Oh, ha, ha. Good one, kid," Billy smirked. "But I'm not gonna fall for--"

The others encouraged him to turn around.

"For reals...?" Billy soon asked.

"Uh-huh." Mo nodded.

Billy soon turned around and yelped to the old man. "Oh! Um, hello, sir... I..." he then stammered before taking out the old photograph. "I was just wondering if this boy still lives here?"

"No," The old man replied. "This boy hasn't lived here in quite some time. What do you want?" He then asked.

"Well, you see, I'm doing this school project, on The Curse of the Halloween Hound, you know, an old Fernfield legend, and a-a-and I-I was just hoping to ask him some questions." Billy replied.

"I'm sure if that boy wanted to talk about it, he would have a long time ago," The old man glared. "Now go away!" 

"Yes, sir." Atticus said.

"Okay... I'm sorry, sir..." Billy said before walking off with the others.

The old man soon noticed his scepter. "Hey, boy!" he then called out once it got his attention. "Where'd you get that staff? Hand it over!"

The kids soon began to run away out of fear.

"That's very dangerous!" The old man told Billy before chasing after him and the kids. 

"What is with that guy?" Mo asked while running.

"Doesn't he know Stranger Danger?" Junior added.

The old man soon stopped at the gate to catch his breath as they ran away from him.

Cherry smirked as she wandered around the neighborhood before seeing Warwick and looked somewhat annoyed with him.

"I must find out who's responsible for this infestation!" Warwick grinned to himself. "No one beats Warwick the Warlock at his own game!" 

Hearing him call himself that caused Cherry to go wide-eyed.

"What is this?" Warwick wondered as he soon came to the Carroll household. "Perhaps the evil sorcerer lives there..."

"Wow." Cherry said.

Warwick soon rushed over to the house. Cherry looked around and soon went to go and hide for right now, but at the same time, she wanted to see Warwick's face when he saw the person at the door's costume. 

"All the ghouls and goblins are flocking to his door!" Warwick grinned while Cherry kept an eye out while hiding. 

The inflatable decoration beside him cackled which startled him slightly. Warwick soon clanged on the door knocker and it cackled which made him scream and Cherry laughed at that. 

"Oh, man, this guy is such an old man." The perky goth whispered to herself.

"Who dares--" Mr. Carroll began as he answered the door.

Warwick soon screamed like a little girl upon the sight of him.

Cherry soon fell to the ground, laughing at Warwick. "Oh, man! That's priceless!"

"Dude, uh, a little bit old for trick-or-treating?" Mr. Carroll asked the warlock. 

"NO!" Warwick replied. "Now give me what's rightfully mine."

"And I thought Robbie Rotten was over the top." Cherry commented.

"Okay, I think that would entail a trick on your part." Mr. Carroll told Warwick.

Warwick soon summoned the strange owl to fly over and perch on his arm. 

"Now that is impressive." Cherry said.

"Wow!" Mr. Carroll gasped.

"Master, I have good news." The owl spoke to Warwick.

"Okay, that's... Wow, ventriloquism, that's impressive..." Mr. Carroll commented, thinking this was a trick, and handed the warlock a chocolate bar. "Yeah, Bro, you just got yourself a treat."

Warwick soon took the candy and ate it with the wrapper on before Mr. Carroll went back inside the house. "So, this is what food tastes like these days..." he said to himself. 

"Later." Mr. Carroll said as he soon went back inside. 

"Since that owl told him he has good news, that must mean bad news for the others." Cherry whispered.

"Now, Hoot, tell me the good news," Warwick spoke to his animal companion. "Have you found my staff?"

"Yes, a young warlock has it." The owl told him.

Cherry soon listened closely as best as she could while hiding.

"I leave for 75 measly years, and they find someone new to replace me!" Warwick huffed. "Where's the respect?!" 

'Someone new to replace him?' Cherry thought to herself.

Kids soon came up to the house for their turn at trick-or-treating.


	7. Chapter 7

Meanwhile, the Buddies kept running until they made it downtown and out of the neighborhood, and were soon in front of a store. 

"I think we lost him." Rosebud said with a pant.

"Along with Oddball, Patch, and Salem." Budderball said as he noticed three of their group missing.

"Oh, no!" B-Dawg panicked. "That Halloween Hound must've gotten 'em!"

"We have to rescue them." Budderball told them.

"Why is that ghost dude after us?!" MudBud complained.

"Maybe he wants to drink our blood!" B-Dawg gasped.

"That's vampires." Buddha told him.

"Then maybe he wants to eat our brains!" B-Dawg took another guess.

"That's zombies, dude." MudBud told him.

"Maybe he wants to devour everything he sees!" B-Dawg tried again.

"That's Budderball." Rosebud smirked.

Budderball looked slightly offended by that.

"It's probably because B-Dawg released him from the mirror." MudBud said.

"Oh, sure, dog, blame me!" B-Dawg pouted. "It's you guys teasing me, and calling me scaredy-cat that made me do it!"

"It's true, we have to take full responsibility for our actions." Buddha replied.

They soon walked off as soon as Patch, Oddball, and Salem caught up.

"Sorry, guys, but I can't fight my cat instincts," Salem said. "I see a mouse, I'm gonna chase it!"

"Well, luckily we'll be able to catch up with them." Patch said.

They then went to go after the five Golden Retriever puppies.

Meanwhile, Warwick was still watching as the kids continued to trick-or-treat.

"He's got all sorts of terrifying creatures following him!" Warwick ranted to his owl sidekick.

"Come on, guys, let's get to the next house." Atticus smiled at the kids.

"Yeah!" Junior beamed as they went that way.

"How will we get to him?" Warwick wondered.

"Those are just his friends, Master." Hoot replied.

"Friends?!" Warwick glared. "With creatures of the Underworld?!"

"No, they're--" Hoot started.

"Silence!" Warwick glared. "I need to focus!" He then began to walk off to go after the kids. 

"Oh, brother," Cherry rolled her eyes with a small smirk. "I'd go home, but this guy is too much fun." And where she just knew that staff that Billy had must have been Warwick's and would send the warlock flying away from its new master.

"You there!" Warwick glared as he came in front of the kids. "Young warlock."

"Actually, Billy's not a warlock." Junior spoke up.

"Do you know who I am?" Warwick grinned.

"An over actor?" Mo smirked.

"Or someone that takes his costume too seriously?" Atticus added.

"And I thought Cherry was pretentious about Halloween." Mo murmured to him about that remark.

"I am Warwick the Warlock, the evilest warlock known to man!" Warwick told them before he suddenly let out a yelp which made the kids laugh at him.

"Why did you just yelp?" Mo smirked at Warwick.

"Never mind that!" Warwick growled. "I will make all of you ghouls my slaves! Now... Give me THAT STAFF!"

"Here, take it, mister." Billy soon said, holding it over, only for a spark to fly and then it shocked Warwick which sent him flying back.

"I knew it!" Cherry laughed out loud.

"Cherry?" Atticus asked.

"Hey, guys." Cherry greeted.

"Hey, Cherry," Atticus smiled. "Having a good Halloween?"

"Mildly entertaining so far." Cherry had to admit.

"Billy, how did you get your staff to do that?" Mo asked, referring from earlier.

"I-I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure that guy was who he says he is." Billy replied, a little nervously.

"Yeah?" Junior asked.

"Check this out!" Billy said, showing them a sketch of the warlock he had in his bag.

"That guy looks exactly like the warlock in that sketch, so then that must mean..." Mo gulped.

"That dude really is the warlock!" Pete realized.

"Yeah!" Billy replied.

"Oh, no..." Bartleby frowned and shook his head.

Warwick soon grunted and began to try and get out of the coffin he was blasted into.

"I suggest we run before he gets up." Junior told them.

"I believe he's right." Sam agreed before they would go and do just that.

"If you want, but he's as much of a threat as Captain Hook!" Cherry told them before laughing.

"True, but still, better to keep the kids away from him." Atticus said.

Cherry nodded as she stayed put.

"Call or text if anything goes wrong." Atticus told her before leaving.

"You got it!" Cherry told him as she decided to watch and see what the warlock would do next.

"Are you okay, Master?" Hoot asked.

"I clearly underestimated that warlock..." Warwick glared to his owl.

"Wow, he really doesn't know about how Halloween works." Cherry smirked to herself.

Atticus soon caught up with Mo and the kids after they had run from the warlock.

"What was with that guy?!" Bartleby complained.

"Yo, I have no idea, but he wanted this thing pretty badly," Billy replied. "We better find Sheriff Dan, like, now!"

"Yeah, and I think that thing you have might be that guy's staff that he used years ago." Mo said.

They soon went to go and find the sheriff.

"Come on... Come on..." Cherry told herself as she was going to follow Warwick and concentrated very hard and turned into a bat. "Hey, I did it... I really did it!" she then smiled at the transformation. She soon started to fly after Warwick, following after him so she could see what he was up to next. "All right, Cherry, just aim for the sky, and don't look down." she told herself to get the hang of flying.

Warwick soon came to the Carroll house again to knock on the door.

"Seriously?" Cherry deadpanned.

Mr. Carroll soon opened the door and sighed. "Again, great bit before, but, uh, it's kinda one piece of candy per trick." he then told Warwick, thinking he came back for more candy.

"Why did he come back to this house?" Cherry asked.

"I need your help, Monster," Warwick demanded to Mr. Carroll. "You're big and you're scary... The perfect henchman for this job. Slavius, mineius!" He then tossed sparks to the mortal man to enslave him by magic.

"What the--?" Mr. Carroll complained until his eyes widened and glowed green as he was now brainwashed.

"Now, you will do exactly as I tell you." Warwick told Mr. Carroll.

"Okay, now this guy just got serious." Cherry said.

"I want you to find a young warlock whose staff has a shiny blue crystal," Warwick told Mr. Carroll. "I want you to seize it, and then, eliminate him." 

"Yes, Master." Mr. Carroll said before walking off. He soon began walk like Frankenstein and didn't seem that bright as he got his foot stuck in a jack-o-lantern.

"I always thought Frankenstein Monsters were brainless..." Cherry muttered to herself in flight.

"I probably should have used someone smarter for this job." Warwick told Hoot.

"Ooh... He thinks?" Cherry smirked to herself.

"Idiot!" Warwick grumbled before going to go and follow after Mr. Carroll.

"I think the Halloween Hound would be more of a threat than this guy." Cherry said to herself.

Meanwhile...

"Budderball!" Oddball called out.

"Huh? Oh, thank goodness..." Budderball replied as he saw Oddball coming with Patch and Salem.

"About time we caught up with you guys." Salem said.

"So the Halloween Hound didn't get you?" Budderball asked.

"That wasn't the Halloween Hound!" Oddball complained. "If Uncle Patch and Uncle Salem say it wasn't, then it wasn't!"

"That ghost was the ghost of Pip!" Patch told them.

"Then we're doing the right thing," Buddha said. "We're about to see Zelda."

"She's having a family get together far, far away from here." Salem said, thinking about the Zelda he lived with.

"I don't think he means Zelda Spellman." Oddball said.

"That is correct." Buddha said.

"Oh... I knew that." Salem said.

Both Patch and Oddball rolled their eyes to that.

"I believe this is the place." Buddha said as they came in front of a building which had a Psychic inside of it.

They soon went inside through the doggy door.

"I hope she's here." Oddball said.

They soon came inside and looked around, seeing a table with a crystal ball in front of them.

"Hello? Is anyone home?" Buddha called out.

"I don't think anybody's here," B-Dawg said before coming forward and coming towards the crystal ball. "Yo! Check out this crystal ball, dawgs!"

"That's how psychics see into someone's future and sometimes look through it to find someone in the other realm." Salem said.

"It looks like a giant gumball." Budderball commented.

"Welcome." A female voice greeted.

"Yo, dawgs! The gumball is talking to us!" B-Dawg gasped. 

"I am Zelda." A female dog, dressed like a gypsy, told them.

"Aaaaugh! A rat!" Oddball yelped.

"No, Oddball, she's not a rat," Patch said between laughs. "She's another dog."

"Whew." Oddball sighed.

"I am all-knowing, and all-seeing," Zelda informed. "I specialize in the mystic and otherworldly. I also do doggy weddings and doggy Bar Mitzvahs." 

"What's a Bar Mitzvah?" Oddball asked.

"I'll tell you later." Patch told his niece.

"Now, I sense you puppies are in danger." Zelda soon told them.

"Wow, you're good." Oddball said.

"We need your help because this ghost has been chasing us." Buddha told Zelda.

"Well, this is Halloween, the only night spirits are free to roam," Zelda replied. "We must make contact with this ghost of yours." 

"But how?" Oddball asked.

"I have a Ouija Board," Zelda replied. "It can be used to contact the other side."

"Ooh." Oddball smiled.

"Everyone, sit down in a circle, and I shall help." Zelda instructed.

Everyone did just that while Pip floated along before looking through the window to see what they were doing. He soon floated through which made the sheet drop on the ground outside as he came inside. "Hello?"

"I don't think you're gonna need your Luigi board," Budderball told Zelda. "There's the ghost!"

"Hey, Pip, you caught up with us." Salem smiled.

"Oh! A ghost!" Zelda gasped before falling over.

"Oh, no! She fainted!" Oddball cried out. 

"That dudette is down for the count." MudBud told the others.

"Guess she's never met a ghost before." Salem said.

"Some Psychic." Patch sighed.

"Please, I'm not gonna hurt you." Pip told the Buddies.

"That's what ghosts always say before they eat you." B-Dawg groaned.

"Oddball, there's something I've always wanted to tell you, but I guess I better do it now." Budderball said to the Dalmatian puppy.

"Budderball, Pip isn't going to hurt us; besides, he can't even if he tried because he'll just phase through us." Oddball said.

"Also, ghosts don't eat," Pip said. "There's no way for us to."

"That's the saddest thing I ever heard!" Budderball frowned.

"He's a friendly ghost, you guys." Oddball told her best friends.

"She's right." Salem said.

"Oh, my... What a horrible dream." Zelda said as she soon came to. 

"I know I look strange, but I was once a pup just like you," Pip told the Buddies. "My name is Pip."

"You're the pup from the story." Buddha said.

"Yes, I've been like this since that night," Pip replied. "The Hound stole my brothers' and sisters' souls."

"The spell must've been interrupted that night," Zelda remarked. "Your soul was left in Limbo."

"Maybe we can find his body through your crystal ball." Oddball suggested.

"That just might be crazy enough to work." Salem had to agree.

"Let's try it." Patch said.

Oddball beamed as she felt like she had helped.

"We must hurry before sunrise." Zelda nodded to them.

"Ooh, that's not pressuring at all." Salem deadpanned.

"Why?" Oddball frowned. "What happens after sunrise?"

"Then I'm afraid that Pip will be lost forever." Zelda warned.

"Uh-oh..." Oddball frowned.

"We must find the body Pip once inhabited," Zelda instructed. "We shall ask the spirits through my crystal ball."

They soon all got settled in a circle around the gypsy dog as she sat in front of her crystal ball.

"O, beautiful and wise one... We ask for your help on this night of Halloween," Zelda spoke. "Please show us this young pup's body. Does it still exist on the earthly plane?"

The crystal ball showed fog at first before showing what looked like a statue of a puppy.

"I've seen that statue in the graveyard." Oddball said.

"That's me," Pip told them all. "I turned to stone the night it all happened."

"Aw, snap! The cemetery?!" B-Dawg yelped. "I mean, is it really necessary to go there, dawgs?"

"Hello, puppies~" A dark voice smirked, revealing to be a certain big dog who came through the doggy door. 

"Let me guess, you're the Halloween Hound, right?" Patch asked the big dog.

"Come out, come out, and I'll have your souls for dinner~" Hound grinned darkly.

Patch took a look before smirking. "Come and get us then."

"Uncle Patch!" Oddball gasped out of fright. 

"Alright, I will." Hound grinned darkly before feeling like he was stuck.

Oddball whimpered at first before Patch made her see that Hound was stuck.

"Oh, no. I'm stuck!" Hound complained.

"The back door! Quickly!" Zelda told the others since Hound was stuck. 

"Don't gotta tell us twice." Salem told her.

"Come on!" Hound grunted before getting unstuck and soon went to go after the Buddies.

The kids soon kept running until they heard the groan of someone and saw that it was Mr. Carroll which made them relieved at first.

"Oh, Mr. Carroll, maybe you can help us." Billy smiled out of relief.

"Give me staff!" Mr. Carroll glared. 

"I don't think he's in the mood in helping." Atticus said.

Cherry panted as she continued to try and fly, but she was getting too tired which made her bat powers fade and she fell on the ground in her human form.

"That's not normal, even for Mr. Carroll." Sam commented.

"That dude's eyes are creepy!" Pete added.

Mr. Carroll soon fell over in front of them. 

"We better hurry." Atticus said.

"Let's get to the party," Alice suggested. "Sheriff Dan's there!"

They soon ran towards the Halloween Party as Mr. Carroll got back up and began to chase after them.

Cherry panted and soon sat up. "Wait up, you guys..." She then groaned. "Ugh... What am I doing with my life?!" She soon hurried to the party they were going to.


	8. Chapter 8

Inside, there was a live concert going on while people were partying and having a good time.

"Billy! Billy, come on!" A woman smiled while dancing awkwardly. "Dance with your mom!"

"Oh, wow." Mo said.

"Mom, I don't have time for this," Billy told the woman. "See, there's this monster chasing us."

"Of course there is, dear," Billy's mother smiled as she danced. "It's Halloween!"

"Give me staff!" Mr. Carroll demanded as he came into the party.

"Oh, come on!" Mo complained.

"There he is!" Billy panicked, running with his friends. "Run! Run!"

"Oh, sweetheart, where are you going?" Billy's mother pouted.

A woman in a witch costume soon put a party hat on Mr. Carroll's head and put a noisemaker in his mouth as she beamed happily.

"We have to find Sheriff Dan and fast." Atticus said.

Cherry panted as she tried to catch up as the others soon ran away again. "Don't run... Please..." she panted before groaning and going after them.

"Sheriff Dan should be here somewhere." Mo said.

Bud and Michelle smiled as they danced together, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.

"Mr. and Mrs. B!" Atticus called.

"Oh, hello, Atticus." Michelle smiled.

"We didn't you and the kids would be here." Bud added.

"Have you seen Sheriff Dan?" Atticus asked his best friend's parents.

"Not since we came in I'm afraid." Michelle replied.

"Well, we need to find him fast because Warwick the Warlock is here, and by that, I mean the real one!" Mo told them.

"Warwick the warlock?" Michelle asked in horror. "Are you sure?"

"Luckily, we lost him outside, but yes!" Atticus told her.

"And he's after this." Billy told them as he showed the staff.

"May I see your staff a moment?" Michelle asked.

Billy looked hesitant.

"It's okay, we can trust Cherry's mom," Atticus told him. "She'd never deceive anyone."

"Well... Okay..." Billy said as he handed the staff to the woman.

Michelle could tell that the staff was real. "Billy... Where did you get this?" She soon asked the young boy.

"Well, um, I got it from Sheriff Dan actually." Billy replied.

"And he just let you take it?" Bud asked.

"Uh... It's kind of a long story..." Billy said, a little nervously.

"Oh, you kids and taking stuff for your own amusement..." Michelle sighed and face-palmed.

"I didn't know it was a real magic staff; I just thought it was a fake." Billy said.

"No wonder he's chasing you..." Michelle frowned. 

"Should I give it back?" Billy asked her.

"Oh, that could destroy the whole universe." Michelle then gasped.

"Then what should I do?" Billy asked.

"Oh, dear... There must be someway..." Michelle paused. 

"Uh, I'd say take your time, Mrs. B, but we're kinda in a rush." Atticus smiled nervously.

"Especially since Mr. Carroll is under Warwick's spell." Mo added.

"He is?!" Michelle asked. "I thought he was a little more out of it than usual."

"What should we do?" Mo asked the woman.

"You have to use a spell to send Warwick away and to free those who have perished under his control." Michelle replied.

"Sounds good." Atticus said.

"Oh... Maybe I should help..." Michelle suggested.

"But we're having so much fun." Bud pouted to his wife.

"We will need help though..." Atticus replied. "Where's Cherry?"

Cherry gasped and panted as she came to catch up with them.

"Oh, there you are, Cherry." Atticus smiled.

Cherry glared slightly.

"Now you can help us." Mo added.

"Sure, just let me catch my breath first!" Cherry glared.

"Oops... Sorry." Atticus smiled sheepishly.

"Ugh!" Cherry groaned.

Bud and Michelle soon helped their daughter up.

"Thanks." Cherry told her parents.

Meanwhile, the dogs were running off, and soon came to the sheriff's office.

"Sniffer!" Budderball said. "He'll know what to do with that nasty Hound!"

Deputy Sniffer was shown to be asleep and seemed to be dressed like Sherlock Holmes.

"Typical." Salem sighed.

"I swear, this dog's always asleep whenever need him." Patch said to Salem.

"Deputy Sniffer!" Rosebud called out. "Wake up! Wake up! We need your help!"

"Erm... Trick-or-Treat... Smell my paws." Deputy Sniffer stammered as he woke up.

"Deputy Sniffer, we need your help." Oddball said.

"Dawg, it's a straight up 9-1-1!" B-Dawg added.

"Oh, you all startled me there," Deputy Sniffer replied. "What's the problem? Did somebody steal Budderball's candy bag?"

"No," Zelda replied. "This is more serious than trick-or-treating."

"Well, hi there, Zelda." Deputy Sniffer greeted the sorceress dog.

"Deputy, we really need your help!" Patch told him.

"Yeah! The Halloween Hound has been released!" B-Dawg added.

"I sense we only have a few hours before the entire town is doomed, and soon after that, the whole world!" Zelda warned.

"You're quite the trickster, Zelda," Deputy Sniffer chuckled. "My great-grandpappy Tracker used to tell me that old wives' tale when I was just a pup. Scared the bajesus out of me."

"Pip, quick! Show him that you're a real ghost!" Oddball told the beagle puppy.

Pip soon began to float.

"Whoa... Great ghost costume." Deputy Sniffer smiled.

"It's not a costume, sir!" Oddball told him. "He's a real ghost!"

"See? I can float through walls." Pip told the older dog before demonstrating, and where that proved that he was a real ghost.

"Whoa... Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!" Deputy Sniffer said to the beagle puppy.

"My name is Pip. I knew your great-grandpappy, Tracker," Pip said to the older dog. "We could really use your help."

"Uh, would this hound happen to be large, and brown, and, uh, with green eyes?" Deputy Sniffer asked.

"He just showed up, didn't he?" Salem asked out of fear.

"I'm afraid so." Deputy Sniffer replied.

"Oh, no! He's found us!" Zelda panicked.

"The long paw of the law will handle this intruder," Deputy Sniffer replied. "You guys go."

"Hurry! We must get to the cemetery!" Zelda told the others.

"Let's get going." Salem said.

They soon rushed off to the cemetery while Deputy Sniffer handled the Halloween Hound.

Cherry rushed with the others in the party as the song was about to end which meant that it was also time for the costume contest from Sheriff Dan. Luckily, this would make their search easier. Cherry grunted and struggled with the crowd and soon came out, panting with the others who made it out.

"Should I tell him?" Billy asked the others.

"He's not exactly going to believe that the real Warwick is back." Mo said.

"How do you know unless we try?" Billy replied before going up the stage.

"And we're gonna become laughing stocks of the town, just like the time with the Sanderson sisters." Cherry sulked.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the first winner of the contest is... Drum roll, please..." Sheriff Dan began as he tried to tune out Billy as he had to do something right now. "The winner is... Frank Carroll! Frankendude!"

Mrs. Carroll beamed excitedly for her husband as he had won.

'Oh, boy...' Cherry thought to herself.

"It's okay, Cherry, Sheriff Dan will help us." Junior smiled.

"I really don't think so." Cherry replied.

Mr. Carroll soon saw Billy on stage and came toward him to take the staff as his wife took out her camera to take his picture.

"That'll blind him for a while." Cherry said.

"You think so?" Atticus asked.

"Works with me every year on Picture Day." Cherry smirked.

"Say 'Cheese'!" Mrs. Carroll smirked, flashing her camera.

Mr. Carroll grunted from that and soon fell from the stage... Landing right on top of Warwick.

"Ha! Knew it!" Cherry smirked.

"I think someone had a bit too much of spooky punch." Sheriff Dan chuckled sheepishly to the people off stage.

"Oh, honey, are you okay?" Mrs. Carroll frowned in concern to her husband.

"You know that story about the warlock?" Billy whispered to Sheriff Dan. "Well, hypothetically speaking, could Warwick return to Fernfield, even if it was, like, 75 years ago?"

"Billy, it's Halloween!" Sheriff Dan told him. "All of the scariest monsters return this time of year!"

"Told ya." Cherry whispered to Atticus.

"Oh, Cherry, do you have to be right about everything?" Atticus replied.

"I'm always right!" Cherry smirked.

"Give the staff to me, boy!" Warwick glared, trying to grab the staff from Billy. "It belongs to me, Warwick, the greatest warlock of all time!"

"Not on your life." Mo glared at Warwick as she helped Billy get the staff away from him.

"Begone, foolish mortal!" Warwick glared back at Mo. "What have you done with my book?!"

"Now, sir!" Sheriff Dan soon called out to the warlock. "That, my friend, is a party foul! Unhand that boy! Enough monkey business!"

"Monkey business, eh?" Warwick replied.

"Oh, you should not have given him that idea, Sheriff." Mo gulped.

Junior soon ran off with the owners of the Buddies, including Billy as he ran off the stage.

"Perhaps you'd like to join him!" Warwick threatened Mo.

"You wouldn't dare!" Mo replied.

"Transformius, Monchius!" Warwick recited, turning both Sheriff Dan and Mo into monkeys.

"He would." Monkey Mo groaned.

"What in tarnation?!" Monkey Dan gasped. 

"Strange, I have this sudden urge to roller-skate." Monkey Mo said before walking off with her hands like a monkey.

"You're under arrest for insulting an officer of the law!" Monkey Dan glared before he soon climbed up onto Warwick onto his head, hitting it with his night stick which made the crowd laugh.

"We better get going." Monkey Mo said.

"No one makes a monkey out of Sheriff Dan!" Monkey Dan yelled as they soon rushed out of the party while Warwick was being punished.

They soon came outside.

"Dude, did you get the staff to Sheriff Dan?" Pete asked Billy.

"Sort of." Billy replied.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

"Uh...." Billy stammered.

The door soon opened.

"Hey, those monkeys are dressed like Sheriff Dan and Junior's sister." Bartleby pointed out.

"They are Sheriff Dan and Mo!" Billy replied. 

"Run! He's coming!" Monkey Mo told the kids.

The kids soon got scared and they soon began to run away.

"But dude, where's Warwick?" Pete asked.

"There you are!" Warwick grinned as he hovered over them, balancing on his staff. 

"That answer your question?" Atticus asked.

"Uh-huh." Pete whimpered.

"Now, where is that book?" Warwick glared. "Or do you all want to be turned into monkeys too?!"

"No, really, Mister, we don't know where the book is!" Billy told him.

"Wrong answer, boy!" Warwick glared. "Monchius, appe--"

However, before he could finish, someone hit him with a shovel, and where it was the old man from earlier.

"It's you!" Atticus gasped.

"Hurry!" The old man replied. "Come with me!" 

"No need to tell us twice." Cherry said.

The kids seemed hesitant.

"Before it's too late!" The old man told them. "Come on!"

They soon followed the old man into his car as the warlock groaned on the ground.

"They won't get far!" Warwick glared as the group drove away from him, and he soon rode off on his staff.

Patch and Salem soon made it to the cemetery with the puppies.

"Well, I can totally pick up Cherry's scent here." Patch commented. 

"It should be easy to find Pip's body." Salem said.

"Everybody, look around for Pip's body," Zelda agreed. "We don't have much time."

Everyone then split up to go and find Pip's body.

"This has to be it," Oddball said as she stopped. "It's the same size and it does almost look puppy-like."

"Good eye, Oddball." Salem had to admit.

"Whoa... That's me..." Pip gasped.

Buddha saw a grave with the statue and soon read it aloud. "'Pip, Rest in Peace. Most loyal friend of Joseph. The best pup a boy could ever have'."

"So, what do we do now, Zelda?" Rosebud asked the sorceress dog.

"Okay, well, I have to confess," Zelda laughed nervously. "I've never really returned a body to a spirit per se, but I'll give it a whirl."

"Dogs." Salem rolled his eyes. 

"Ahem!" Patch cleared his voice.

"Uh, except for you?" Salem replied nervously.

"Try your best, Zelda." Patch told the sorceress dog.

"I'll try," Zelda replied before trying. "Help us, spirits, and take this soul... Place it back into the body the hound once stole!" 

Oddball began to hope and pray this would work.

"Help us, spirits, and take this soul... Place it back into the body the hound once stole!" Zelda tried again as nothing seemed to happen.

"It's working!" Pip said as he began to flicker like a light. 

"Help us, spirits, and take this soul... Place it back into the body the hound once stole!" Zelda said once more as Pip soon floated towards his body. 

A bright light flashed and Pip seemed to be back to normal.

"Whoa, guys, my legs!" Pip beamed as he moved around in his body happily. "I can wiggle my nose! Whoa, guys, I can chase my tail! I'm back! How can I thank you guys? Wow! Look at me run, watch me go!" 

"He sure is having fun." Oddball smiled.

The Buddies smiled back as they felt happy for Pip.

"Now if I could just be changed back into a warlock." Salem smirked. 

"And you will just be patient." Patch said.

"Come on... Why don't you help change me back?" Salem smirked.

"Salem, as much as I would really like to, Drell and the other Witch's Council would probably do something even worse to both of us." Patch replied.

"Dang it." Salem groaned.

"I'd rather not find out." Patch shuddered since Drell has very unpleasant punishments for all of them, including Cherry and Atticus.

Meanwhile, the old man pulled his car over and then took the kids over to where he needed to take them. 

"Come on, kids! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" The old man told them before gasping up at Warwick as he was right behind them. "Come on! Hurry! Inside!"

"There they are!" Warwick laughed from the skies. 

The group soon rushed into the church.

"I want that book!" Warwick glared and soon shot the church with his staff, but it shot right back at him since churches protected against any forces of evil.

They soon walked down an aisle with many Bibles stacked together and candles lit.

"You'll be safe here," The old man told the kids. "Evil like Warwick cannot enter the house of God." 

"That's right." Atticus said.

"How come you have a key?" Alice asked the old man.

"I'm the organist here every Sunday," The old man replied. "Don't worry, kids. We beat Warwick once, we can do it again."

Billy soon took out the old photograph and noticed a resemblance between the young boy in the photo with their new friend. "This is you, isn't it?" he then asked.

"You're the boy from the legend."

"That was sure a long time ago." The old man nodded. 

They soon began to introduce each other.

"Joseph," The old man gave his name. "Joseph Johnson." 

Meanwhile, back with the others...

"Uncle Patch, Uncle Salem, I'm so happy for Pip." Oddball beamed.

"So are we." Patch smiled.

"But why am I suddenly getting a chill down my spine?" Salem asked.

"Uncle Salem, you worry too much." Oddball smiled, a bit obliviously.

Everyone soon turned around with a gasp to see the Halloween Hound right behind them.

"Nooo! I knew it!" Salem cried out. 

"This time, there's nowhere to run." Hound glared.

"This is bad." Salem said.

Hoot was soon flying over into the cemetery.

"Mr. Hound, I am Zelda," The sorceress dog introduced. "I am all-knowing and all-seeing. I specialize in the mystic and otherworldly. I believe I can help you come from the dark back in the light."

"I actually like the darkness," Hound glared at her. "Now get out of my way." He then took a deep breath on her, petrifying her into stone.

"Oh, no! Zelda!" Oddball frowned.

"Hoot." Hound called.

"Hoo?" Hoot replied.

"Go tell that idiot Warwick I've captured the puppies." Hound demanded to the owl.

Hoot soon flew away to go and do as he was told.

"Oh, this is really bad." Salem said.

"In fact it is... I have a different plan for these pups." Hound replied sharply.

"We're doomed!" B-Dawg cried out.

"No, we're not." Oddball said as she hid behind Patch.

Patch growled towards the Halloween Hound just like when he was a puppy and would watch Thunderbolt on TV.

The kids soon stared at Joseph as he had something.

"For 75 years I held onto this book, dreading a full moon on Halloween night," Joseph said as he unwrapped the object, revealing a very old book. "It's the only night Warwick could return to finish the spell."

Warwick is soon seen outside the window and soon saw that they had his spell book. Joseph soon cracked the book open.

"Whoa, what's up with this book?" Billy asked. "The writing's all trippy."

"Hey, Cherry..." Atticus smiled. "The text is in Latin."

"It sure is." Cherry said.

"I learned the language, and studied the book, from cover-to-cover, trying to decipher its meaning so I could stop Warwick." Joseph informed.

"So, what's the book say, Mr. Johnson?" Bartleby asked.

"Warwick will need three items to complete the spell tonight for the evil spirits of the Netherworld to remain here." Joseph replied.

"The Nether-what now?" Billy asked.

"The Netherworld." Atticus pronounced.

"That's another name for a place where ghosts live, usually bad ones," Joseph added as Cherry, Atticus, and Mo knew about the Netherworld all too well. "Halloween is the one night these spirits can roam free in our world."

"Because witches and warlocks are celebrating with their families." Atticus added with a mutter about why that was.

"Only the Halloween Hound can call them out," Joseph then continued. "Warwick will use those spirits to control the townsfolk of Fernfield."

Cherry's eyes slowly widened.

"But you said he needs three things, right?" Alice asked. 

"That's right," Joseph replied. "His staff, the spell book, and one other thing."

"Well, what is it?" Billy asked.

"The souls of the five young puppies who share the same blood." Joseph replied.

"You mean like siblings?" Cherry asked.

Joseph nodded to her.

"The Buddies!" Alice, Billy, Bartleby, Sam, and Pete soon panicked for their pets.

"We have to find them." Atticus said.

"Where would we look though?" Cherry asked.

"Hmm... Good question." Atticus said.


	9. Chapter 9

Back in the cemetery, Hoot had flown over while Hound and Patch glared to each other.

"Well, well, if it isn't Warwick?" Salem remarked as the warlock flew in after the owl. "Looks like you haven't seen someone to do something about that beard of yours."

"Jealous I still have mine, Saberhagen?" Warwick glared down at the black cat. "How's your world domination plans going by the way?" he then added, asking mockingly which was what turned Salem into a cat in the first place.

"At least I wasn't trapped in a mirror." Salem smirked.

"Why, you!" Warwick growled. 

Salem snickered to that in victory.

"Anyway... Good work, Hound," Warwick glared before smirking. "Now all I need is my book. You take these puppies back to the manor, and I will meet you there." he then laughed wickedly before hiccuping.

"Gesundheit." Oddball said.

"It's okay not to be polite to the bad guy." Salem told Oddball.

"Oh..." Oddball said. "Sorry, Uncle Salem."

"It's okay, you're still learning." Salem replied.

"I'll win this round... Even if I have to take that dream-bender again to make it happen!" Warwick grinned evilly.

"Don't you dare harm Cherry!" Patch barked.

"You'll never stop me, you cur!" Warwick glared as he flew off to leave Hound alone with the other dogs and Salem.

"As long as Atticus is with her, Cherry is safe." Salem said.

"That's right," Patch nodded. "Even if she doesn't act like it sometimes, Cherry is still my friend, and I'll do anything to keep her safe. She taught me how to be brave." 

"Really? I didn't know that," Salem replied. "When did she teach you how to be brave?"

"A while after Atticus had adopted me from London," Patch replied. "Cherry decided to come over and meet me for the first time."

We are shown a memory of that exact thing happening, but it was a little changed from what Patch said.

"I got a new dog, his name is Patch, you wanna see him?" Atticus smiled to Cherry.

Cherry glanced at him before shrugging. "Sure."

"Great, because I wanted you two to meet so then maybe you could become friends." Atticus smiled.

"I guess." Cherry replied as they came in the house.

"Patch! Come here, boy!" Atticus called out.

Patch soon rushed in when he was called, panting happily like the energetic dog he was, especially when given a new home.

"Cherry, this is my dog, Patch, and Patch, this is my best friend and sister figure, Cherry Butler." Atticus introduced.

"Hello!" Patch smiled up to Cherry. "Whoa... What are you sad about?"

"I always look like this." Cherry replied.

"Oh... Well... Hi, Cherry..." Patch said. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hi, Dog." Cherry replied.

There was soon an awkward silence after that.

"Patch is one of the 101 Dalmatians." Atticus told Cherry.

"Good thing you're not people otherwise you'd have some line for the bathroom." Cherry commented.

"Oh, you have no idea." Patch sighed.

"Why don't ya bark at them to get out of the way?" Cherry asked.

"Uh, well, I don't have the strongest bark..." Patch replied.

"What happens at meals?" Cherry smirked.

"Erm... Sometimes the others beat me to meals..." Patch said, nervously. 

"Pushover!" Cherry smirked.

"Cherry!" Atticus scolded.

"What? I'm just saying if you want a meal, you have to get through the crowd and not be a pushover." Cherry said.

"Uh, I can do that?" Patch asked.

"Oh, sure... Anyone can do it..." Cherry said before walking off to the kitchen.

Patch watched her go, feeling confused at first.

"BOO!" Cherry smirked as she pounced right behind him to scare him. 

"Gah!" Patch yelped.

"Some dog." Cherry smirked.

"He'll get better." Atticus told his best friend. 

"Yeah, maybe with some bravery lessons." Cherry replied.

"Oh, like you're so brave." Atticus replied.

Cherry soon came towards Patch and picked him up before going outside with him. 

"What's going on?" Patch asked.

"I'm not going to stand around and let some dog get walked over like a doormat." Cherry replied.

"Cherry, it's okay... I like him just the way he is." Atticus replied.

"Atticus, would you rather have a scaredy-dog afraid of its own shadow or a dog who can bite and attack people who invade your property?" Cherry glared. 

"Fair point." Atticus said.

"And so, Cherry did what she could to help make me brave and independent." Patch then concluded.

"Whoa... I had no idea Cherry was so capable like that." Salem replied. 

"Yep, she sure was." Patch nodded.

"I just hope Warwick doesn't hurt her." Salem frowned.

"Me too, Salem." Patch frowned back.

Cherry was soon seen making funny faces at Warwick since he couldn't come into the church. 

"Do you really think that's wise?" Alice asked.

"Relax, he can't get into the church," Cherry smirked. "There's no way he can catch us."

"Open wide like the jaws of a dragon!" Warwick commanded as he used his magic on the church doors.

Cherry soon anime sweat dropped to that. 

"Well, he might be able to open the doors, but he can't get in." Atticus said.

"You in there!" Warwick glared. "I have something you want!"

"Yo, dawgs, it's that creepy old warlock!" Billy cried out.

"If you want to see your puppies again, you better bring that book to my Manor!" Warwick demanded before riding off with a laugh.

"Oh, no..." Alice pouted. "They've got the Buddies!"

"Yeah, but what if they're just trying to trick us?" Billy replied.

"We'll need to bring with us something that looks like the spell book, but inside has holy words instead of spells." Cherry said.

"Cherry, that's brilliant!" Atticus said before kissing her for that genius move.

Suddenly, the two looked disgusted and then gagged upon the kiss they shared which was in the spur of the moment.

"NEVER EVER do that again, Atticus Fudo!" Cherry glared. 

"I promise." Atticus told her.

Cherry then grunted as she looked sick to her stomach and he just looked nervous over what he did since he did it without thinking.

"We need a Bible." Atticus then smirked. 

"Perfect." Alice smiled.

Atticus soon picked up a random Bible and held onto it. 

"That should fool him." Cherry replied. 

"Alright, let's do it." Billy said.

They soon went to go off.

"I want a raise." Cherry muttered.

"Drell doesn't pay us for this kind of stuff." Atticus reminded.

"Well... We deserve a special reward." Cherry then said. 

"Yeah, I guess we do." Atticus said.

Meanwhile, the others were locked up in a cage.

"You do have a plan, right?" Salem asked Patch.

"Trust me, Salem, I know what I'm doing." Patch replied while comforting Oddball who was scared to death. 

"Just making sure." Salem said.

"Salem, have I ever let you down before?" Patch replied.

Salem smiled to that since they were good friends, especially with him helping Patch becoming a good familiar, even if Salem wouldn't be a cat forever. Warwick soon came back and Oddball whimpered, so Budderball tried to help comfort her.

"Hm... Those two seem close." Salem commented. 

"Ever since they first met." Patch smiled.

Warwick soon came over while Patch and Salem glared to him. "I told those wretched children to bring me my spell book." He said, then collecting his staff.

"What if they don't come with the book?" Hoot asked.

"Quiet, you moronic birdbrain!" Warwick glared. "They will all want to save their precious animals, won't they?"

"We just made ourselves bait." Oddball frowned.

"I-It'll be okay, Oddball... I won't let him hurt you." Budderball told the Dalmatian puppy.

"Thanks, Budderball." Oddball smiled.

Salem had a small smirk as he felt like Budderball and Oddball were more than just friends.

Luckily, the others were on their way.

"Mr. Johnson? What happens if we can't stop him?" Alice asked.

"Then the spirits will be under Warwick's control forever," Joseph replied. "They'll take over Fernfield first, and who knows what they'll do next?"

"Whoa." Cherry said.

"Yeah, that's definitely not good." Bartleby commented.

"We have to put an end to this tonight, for all time." Joseph replied.

"Agreed." Atticus nodded.

"You guys seem pretty okay about this." Billy commented.

"We've faced stuff like this before... Um... It's kind of a secret..." Cherry said as Monkey Mo was unable to resist picking bugs out of her hair as she sat on the perky goth's shoulders.

"It's true." Monkey Mo said.

"Do you have to do that?" Cherry asked.

"These taste good..." Monkey Mo smiled. "You have a lot of nits in your hair."

"The faster we do this, the better." Cherry said.

"It'll be okay, Cherry." Atticus promised.

Meanwhile, the dogs and one cat waited in their cage until two mice came by.

"DIBS!" Salem beamed as he grabbed the mice by their tails and licked his lips due to his cat instincts.

"Wait! Don't eat us!" A boy's voice told him.

"Sorry, but if I see a mouse, I'm gonna eat it." Salem replied, about to do that.

"NO! STOP!" The mice begged him.

"Uncle Salem, please stop!" Oddball told him. "Maybe they can help us!"

"Wait, their voices sound familiar." Patch said before getting a closer look at the two mice.

"Oh... All right... But you guys owe me!" Salem complained as he set the mice down.

"Tell me your names." Patch told the two mice.

"My name is Rodney." One mouse replied.

"And I'm Skip." The other mouse added.

"Wait, weren't you two those boys that made that fake howling sound?" Patch asked.

"Uh, you know about that?" Rodney asked nervously.

"I was with the Buddies when you scared their owners." Patch growled.

"Uh... Well... We..." Rodney stammered.

"All right, in you go then." Salem said as he grabbed the mice again, about to eat them.

"Salem!" Patch glared.

"Mice plus me equals buffet!" Salem replied.

"We're sorry!" Rodney and Skip cried out. 

"How can we trust them, huh?" Salem asked. "I mean, for all we know, they could be teaming up with Warwick!"

"He's the one that turned us into mice in the first place!" Rodney told them.

"Oh? Is that a fact?" Salem replied.

"What we did was dumb and dangerous, but if we work together, we promise that we won't be bullies anymore." Skip pleaded.

"Hmm... Let me think about it... WITH SOME BRAIN FOOD!" Salem replied.

"Salem, stop!" Patch told the black cat. "Maybe we should listen to them."

"Fine." Salem complained.

"Now put them down." Patch said.

Salem then put Rodney and Skip back down on the floor.

"We want revenge on that dirty rat!" Skip glared about Warwick.

"How? By biting his legs?" Oddball asked.

"That's all we can really do at this size." Rodney replied.

"Go for it." Oddball smiled.

"Do you promise not to eat us again, Cat?" Skip asked.

"The name is Salem, and you two better be nicer to Hilda Spellman when she teaches you how to play violin!" Salem replied sharply.

"Okay." Rodney said.

Salem nodded to Rodney and Skip as they soon scurried away towards the warlock.

"Soon, they will be here with my spell book, and you can devour those... Delicious puppy souls." Warwick told Hound as he set his staff down, and soon began to shout in pain. 

"Oh, what is it?" Hound muttered.

"Something is biting me!" Warwick complained as he tried to get through the pain, but it ended up looking like he was dancing. "Quickly, Hound, Hoot, do something!"

"Why should they?" Patch smirked.

"Yo, now that dawg has some serious moves." B-Dawg commented.

"That looks like fun." Oddball giggled.

"VERMIN!" Warwick glared down at Rodney and Skip down by his feet.

"You ain't seen nuthin' yet!" Rodney glared back up at the warlock.

"Change us back, ya jerk!" Skip added.

"I doubt he'll do that." Salem said.

Warwick looked like he was furious with the two mice and they soon began to run away, and he tried to step on them, only to miss. "Hound! Get them!" The warlock soon commanded.

Hound then went to do as told after Rodney and Skip. 

"I'll get that book from those stupid kids!" Warwick growled.

"Our kids are here?" Rosebud frowned. "Oh, no!"

"Oh, this is bad." Oddball added.

"You guard the puppies." Warwick commanded his owl. 

"Yes, Master." Hoot replied.

"Fail me, and I'll turn you into a feather duster!" Warwick threatened before he walked off.

Pip was soon seen running into the Manor all by himself, and soon came into the room with Hoot watching the cage. "Psst! Buddies!" The beagle puppy whispered loudly.

"Pip." Oddball smiled.

"We have to get you out of here." Pip replied.

Hoot soon hooted to the beagle puppy. "What do you think you're doing?" he then asked.

"I'm saving my friends." Pip replied.

"I can't let them escape," Hoot said. "Master would be furious."

"Why do you put up with Warwick?" Salem asked Hoot.

"Yeah, why are you so loyal to him anyway?" Rosebud added.

"Seriously, dude!" MudBud even agreed. "It's totally obvious he plans to get rid of you!"

"Master sometimes gets angry, but he would never get rid of me," Hoot replied. "He needs me!" 

"Yo, are you hallucintrippin'?" B-Dawg asked. "He's got that Halloween Hound to do that dirty work now! Man, he calls you names like 'moronic birdbrain'!"

"That does sound like something he'd say..." Hoot had to admit.

"Seems to me that the only thing he ever needs from you is to just to call you names." Salem told Hoot.

"You have a conscience, but yet, you have spent your whole life being bossed around by someone who doesn't respect you." Buddha stated, spiritually. 

"What do you know?" Hoot huffed before turning his head.

"I know you never meant to hurt us, Hoot," Pip coaxed. "And even though you've been under Warwick's control for a long time, you still have a chance at a happy life in this beautiful world, but if Warwick wins, we'll all be doomed. Haven't the last 75 years without evil been a lot nicer than your time under Warwick's wing?"

"It was kind of nice not having to look over my shoulder all the time." Hoot admitted, he soon flew over towards the cage, and held out one of his feet and used his claw to unlock the door to free Salem and the dogs.

"Thank you." Oddball smiled.

"You won't regret it, Hoot. I promise." Pip told the owl.

They soon all came out of the cage after Hound had failed to capture Rodney and Skip.

"We've got to go, Buddies, before they return." Pip told the Golden Retriever puppies.

Hound soon came back with a glare. "Puppies, how did you get out?"

"I let them out." Hoot told Hound.

"I knew I couldn't trust you." Hound glared to the owl.

"I've had enough of the dark side," Hoot replied. "I won't be responsible for any more evil." 

Hound soon took a few steps over.

"Run, puppies, run!" Hoot cried out before flying.

"You heard the owl!" Salem told the canines.

"Hoot!" Oddball called.

Hoot looked to her.

"I'll never forget you for this!" Oddball called out. "You're a hero!"

Hoot nodded and urged her to go, and she soon did. They soon rushed off and Hoot began to try and distracting Hound only to get turned into stone for a heroic sacrifice. Hound began to go after the others. They ran down the stairs as quickly as the could.

"Dudes, we're trapped!" MudBud cried out.

"Finally, your puppy souls will be mine." Hound glared.

"Let them go, Hound," Pip glared back. "All you need is me."

"What is this?" Hound asked as he didn't seem to recognize the beagle puppy.

"No, Pip, don't!" Oddball frowned before gasping as she covered her muzzle.

"That's right. It's me, Pip," The beagle puppy told the Halloween Hound. "You stole all my brothers' and sisters' souls. Now all you need is me to complete the spell. Then you'll have five souls of the same blood."

"What is he doing?!" Salem cried out.

"Why, Pip, I do remember you," Hound replied. "Your siblings were delicious."

"Take me and let the Buddies go," Pip told him. "You don't need them," He then looked back to his new friends. "Goodbye, Buddies. You too, Oddball, Mr. Patch, and Mr. Salem."

"No! Pip! Don't!" Patch frowned.

The others begged him to stop, even Salem. Hound soon howled and turned Pip right into stone once again. Suddenly, a secret door had been opened which made the dogs and Salem go to it, but Oddball looked like she was going to cry as she watched as Pip turned to stone. Patch soon picked up Oddball and brought her with them.

"Oh, Uncle Patch..." Oddball moaned sadly.

"It's okay, Oddball, it'll be okay." Patch soothed her.

"A-Are you sure?" Oddball frowned.

"Shh~... It's all right..." Patch cooed.

The fireplace door soon closed and it brought out fire.

"I can now open the portal," Hound told himself. "I'm not waiting for that idiot Warwick any longer."

Meanwhile, Joseph's car soon pulled up to the cemetery, but he had to get out to help them inside the front gates.

"Here we go." Cherry said.

Hound soon came to the mirror. "Open the portal! Release the spirits of the Netherworld!" he then commanded. 

Meanwhile, in the Netherworld...

"I can't sit still... I just know I have to do something..." Drell said as he sat in his mother's chair during his visit with Hilda and Zelda while Maroot cooked them something. He began to try to get out.

A magic blast was soon shot at the wall.

"Maroot?!" Zelda gasped.

"You are my guests!" Maroot replied. "Sit down!" 

"But the world could be in danger!" Drell told Maroot.

"What are you talking about?!" Maroot asked.

"Mother, listen to me," Drell said as he looked down to his mother, taking her face. "This Halloween is unlike other Halloweens. I must check in with the others in the Mortal Realm, especially Sabrina."

"Aww..." Hilda and Zelda smiled to that.

"Uh, just because, not like... I care about her now or anything." Drell said, though it seemed to be a lie, even if Sabrina was now his family since he married Hilda. 

"Oh, fine." Maroot pouted.

Hilda and Zelda smiled.

"Hey, Sabrina is your niece, I thought maybe you'd wanna check with her too." Drell replied.

"You love Sabrina~..." Hilda smirked, both proud and teasing. 

"Yeah, I guess I do." Drell smiled.

"Aww!~" Hilda and Zelda gushed again.

Drell rolled his eyes to that and took out his crystal ball to take a look into what was going on.

Edward and Diana smiled about bonding with their daughter after what felt like her entire life.

Sabrina had fun, but she began to look worried like her witch sense was telling her that something was terribly wrong as she frowned. "Something's wrong."

"You say something, dear?" Edward asked.

"Dad, there's something wrong back home, I can feel it," Sabrina replied. "We need to hurry home." 

"Now?" Diana asked.

"Yes!" Sabrina replied.

Edward and Diana felt concerned, but they soon left and took Sabrina back home.

At the Manor, there was wicked laughter with ghostly auras flowing all around. 

"Uh-oh, look." Atticus frowned.

Monkey Mo shivered as that made her look a bit uncomfortable.

"Oh, no!" Joseph gasped. "They've opened the portal!"

"Is this still gonna work?" Cherry asked as he came back into the car.

"Have faith, young ones," Joseph replied. "We can still stop it."

"Yeah..." Alice nodded, though she sounded scared. 

"This has to work." Cherry said.

"Wow, Cherry, you're being pretty calm about this." Atticus commented.

"Well, why wouldn't I be?" Cherry replied. "There's nothing to fear."

Inside Cherry's head...

"I AM FREAKING OUT!!!" Cherry's Fear panicked and ran around in her head in circles in a panic. 

Cherry's Anger soon knocked her out.

Cherry soon shook her head and looked a little dizzy as her eyes seemed to look red and purple.

"You okay?" Atticus asked.

"I feel like my emotions are fighting each other." Cherry muttered. 

"Anyways, let's give Warwick what he deserves." Atticus said.

Joseph soon drove his car through the gates. 

Edward drove the car while Diana looked concerned and Sabrina stared out the window as a bunch of teenagers were smashing pumpkins as a prank. 

"I am so glad I don't ever do that." Sabrina said.

"We're so glad you're so responsible, Sabrina." Diana smiled to her daughter.

The spirits soon began to cause havoc.

"Oh, Edward, can't your sisters do something?!" Diana frowned.

"It's Halloween, Diana," Edward told his wife. "All witches and warlocks are usually spending time with their families, and taking some time off. Even the Witch's Council is closed." 

"Oh, this is bad." Sabrina frowned.

The spirits soon zapped the teenagers which then scared them off. Some spirits soon surrounded the car and began to slash the tires. 

"Whoa!" Sabrina yelped.

Edward soon stopped the car before he could crash them all. Eventually, the Spellman family came out of the car.

"I have to do something!" Sabrina said as she took out her wand from Witch School. "I just hope I know the right spell."

"Sabrina?!" Edward and Diana called out.

"I'll be right back, Mom and Dad!" Sabrina told them before she began to run.

"Sabrina! No!" Edward cried out for his daughter.

The Netherworld spirits were soon going into the Halloween party. 

"Uh-oh..." Sabrina frowned.

"Sabrina!" Diana and Edward called out.

Sabrina soon kept running as she seemed to ignore her parents.

"Sheriff Dan really went all out this year!" Billy's mother smiled. "The special effects are amazing!" 

"Everyone, quick, get out those are real spirits!" Sabrina told everyone.

The music soon stopped and the lights came on as all eyes landed on her.

"It's true!" Sabrina told them.

"Sabrina Spellman?" Michelle called.

"Mrs. Butler!" Sabrina replied, running to Cherry's mother. "Mrs. Butler, the Netherworld spirits have come out!" 

"This is bad." Michelle gulped.

The spirits soon effected everyone. Everyone, except for the two of them.

"Mrs. Butler, what happened?" Sabrina frowned.

"The Netherworld spirits have controlled them," Michelle frowned back. "They're mortals!" 

"This is terrible." Sabrina frowned back.

"You're telling me." Michelle said.

"Surely I can help." Sabrina replied, showing her wand.

"Erm... That's sweet of you, Sabrina, but I don't think you're qualified to help." Michelle told the teenage witch. 

"I can at least try." Sabrina said.

"Well... If you're sure..." Michelle replied.

"Surely you can help too since you have your own magic after joining the Witch's Council." Sabrina said.

"Well, like you, I'm still learning, but I guess I can try too." Michelle replied to her. 

They began to use their magic.

Joseph continued to drive his car through the cemetery.

"Perfect... Bring it right to me..." Warwick whispered as he soon saw them coming out of the car with a book.

"Yo, this place is a lot creepier at night." Billy frowned.

"Stay close to me, kids." Joseph advised as he held onto the book.

"You heard the man." Cherry said.

"I'll try to help," Monkey Mo said as she climbed down from Cherry's shoulders. "I guess I can be like George." 

"He may be a curious little monkey, but he can be helpful." Atticus told her since she was stuck as a monkey until further notice.

"That's right." Monkey Mo smiled.

Cherry just rolled her eyes about George the monkey because he sometimes annoyed her.

"Warwick!" Joseph soon called out from downstairs. "We're here! We have your book!"

"Ah, just in time~..." Warwick smirked as he came down on his staff. "Hand it over!"

"First, hand over the pups." Atticus said bravely.

"Oh... They're around here somewhere~" Warwick chuckled sinisterly. "Now, I'll be taking that book."

"If you don't give us the puppies, then you can't get the book." Cherry glared.

"Oh... Really?!" Warwick grinned as he grabbed his staff and soon used his magic evilly.

Cherry yelped as she got hit and she looked a little weak as though something had been sucked out of her through the magic of the staff like she had lost something very significant and important to her.

"Cherry, are you okay?!" Monkey Mo panicked.

"I feel so tired all of the sudden..." Cherry said as she sounded wore out.

"What did you do to her?" Atticus glared at Warwick.

"I'm going to be even more powerful than I could hope for," Warwick smirked. "I just took her powers away."

"Why?!" Atticus demanded.

"Cherry, join me..." Warwick told her. "I'll give you your powers back once I have my book, and you and I can rule the magical world. Finally, after years of insults and abuse, you'll become one of the most powerful people in the universe."

Cherry looked at him as she seemed even consider ruling the magical world, maybe even being more powerful than Drell, and maybe even Princess Luna and Celestia. "Okay." she then shrugged before picking up the book without any hesitation and walked towards the warlock.

"Cherry! No! Don't!" Monkey Mo frowned.

"What have your friends done for you anyway?" Warwick asked Cherry.

"What friends?" Cherry replied. "I've never had any."

This surprised everyone.

"What a smart girl... My son did say you were brilliant..." Warwick smirked, patting the perky goth on the head.

"Yes, Warwick." Cherry replied.

"My book!" Warwick laughed as he soon flew up on his staff up the stairs.

Cherry soon began to follow him which made the others worried and feel betrayed, but no one felt this more than maybe Atticus as he had known her for the longest time, and where they hoped the puppies and Patch wouldn't find out.


	10. Chapter 10

"Now, I shall complete the spell, and all the creatures of the Netherworld will be here forever, and I will rule the land." Warwick smirked as he looked into his reflection.

"Open up the book and find the perfect spell." Cherry said.

Warwick nodded and soon opened the book, but yelped at the holy light which proved to him that it was a Bible and Cherry soon smirked to that. Once he dropped his staff to block the light from The Bible, she picked it up.

"'Our father who art'--" Warwick began to read before glaring. "Wait a minute. This is not my spell book!"

"No, I'm afraid it's something more obnoxious than the Breaking Dawn series." Cherry retorted.

"You!" Warwick glared to her. "Hand me my staff, girl!"

"No!" Cherry glared back. "Oh, I hope I learned something in Magic Class... Um... Protectus!"

The spell then caused Warwick to fly back from the staff's power.

"Yes! It worked!" Cherry cheered.

"You traitor!" Warwick glared at Cherry. "I could've given you real magic! I could've made you fit right in at the Netherworld, unlike that half-witch and Wiccan you're friends with!"

"I'm happy with the life I have already, thank you very much!" Cherry glared back.

Meanwhile, Salem and the dogs ended up in the kitchen.

"Oh, sweet mama!" Budderball beamed. "Where there's a kitchen, there's gotta be food!"

"Quick! We need to hide before the Halloween Hound finds us!" Rosebud gasped.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Salem said before hiding.

Everyone soon split up to find their own hiding place.

"Mm... Perfect! Pickled eggs," Budderball smiled to a jar. "A fellow can't fight evil on an empty stomach."

"Oh... I feel hungry too, Budderball, but we should hide." Oddball told him.

"Oh, we will." Budderball nodded in agreement.

"Now, come on." Oddball told him.

"Just one egg?" Budderball asked.

"Well... All right, one egg, but then we have to go." Oddball compromised.

The two puppies then began to eat the snack as the lid was easy to get off and they didn't even need thumbs to open the jar up.

"Uh, guys? Those aren't eggs." Salem told them.

"Do I wanna know?" Patch asked.

"Those are... Eyeballs..." Salem replied.

"They're a bit rubbery." Budderball had to admit.

"Oi." Salem sighed.

Oddball suddenly looked uncomfortable about eating eyeballs, even though she sometimes ate socks. Hound soon came down the stairs which made the mood feel haunting due to his presence.

"Uh, dudes?!" MudBud yelped.

"No, seriously, MudBud, they're not that bad," Budderball smiled. "You want some?"

"Okay... Uh, Budderball... Oddball? Don't panic." Patch said.

"Why...?" Oddball whimpered slightly.

"Um, no reason." Patch smiled nervously.

"All right, guys, please don't panic, but the Halloween Hound is right behind you!" Rosebud replied.

"And we shouldn't panic?!" Budderball replied before looking behind him with Oddball.

"Hello, puppies~," Hound greeted darkly. "Just thought I would visit the kitchen for a late night snack."

"D-Don't you know a midnight snack ruins your appetite?" Oddball smiled nervously.

"Uh, all right, dawg, you win, but, take Budderball first," B-Dawg said. "He's got the most meat on his bones."

"B-Dawg!" Patch gave him a look for that.

"Actually, I'm not that tasty, really!" Budderball said to Hound, he then came to Oddball to protect her. "But you can't take Oddball! I won't let anyone hurt her!"

"Silence! I don't care who's first, you'll all end up in the same spot." Hound glared.

"What do we do now?" Salem asked.

"Trust me, dawgs, I got a plan." B-Dawg smiled.

"I really hope so." Patch said to him.

"B-Dawg has a plan?" MudBud asked in shock.

"I can have a plan," B-Dawg pouted before looking to his brother. "Yo, Budderball, when I tell you, let one rip."

"Erm... What does mean by that?" Salem asked nervously. "Please tell me that's slang for something else."

"Unfortunately, no." Patch told him.

"Oh, man..." Salem let out a groan as he knew what that meant.

Hound soon began to breathe to turn Budderball and Oddball to stone, but the Golden Retriever soon let one rip to counter out the power. "No! This can't be happening!" The evil dog cried out and he was turned to stone himself.

"Whoa." Salem blinked.

B-Dawg laughed to that. "Our secret weapon!"

"That was wicked, dude!" MudBud added.

"Kids." Salem rolled his eyes.

"That was disgusting, but affective." Oddball smiled.

"It takes years of practice." Budderball smirked.

"Good thinking, B-Dawg." Rosebud admitted.

"I knew Budderball's potion could neutralize anything, including the Halloween Hound." B-Dawg replied.

"The kids! Come on!" Buddha suggested.

"Yeah, who knows what that wizard is doing to them?" Oddball said.

"Warlock." Salem corrected.

"Isn't that the same thing?" Oddball asked him.

"It's not, it's a bit complicated to explain, but trust me." Salem replied as they went off.

Meanwhile, with the kids...

"About time you guys got up here." Cherry said.

"You're not turning on us?" Atticus asked. "Even if it means you'll be more powerful than Drell?"

"You really think I'd turn on you guys and join this guy's side? Not in a million years." Cherry told them.

"That's the best friend I know and love!" Atticus beamed before hugging her which let out a small pony squeak sound.

"Mushy..." Cherry muttered to him. "But yeah... I guess I really care about you guys that much."

"So then ready to recite the spell?" Monkey Mo asked.

"I guess so..." Cherry replied. "I guess I can really help if they let me apply for Magic Class in school after we found my grandmother and Atticus's aunt."

"Quickly, Cherry!" Joseph told her. "The sun is rising! Say the spell!"

Warwick groaned as he sounded like he was getting back up.

"Um... Ableo alica, quod etiam, bestia," Cherry soon tried her very best. "Quod inritus universitas res. Verto super Quod narro is thrice. All's ut eram inerferta furta. Dnuoh Neewollah Dnouh Neewollah. DNUOH NEEWOLLAH!"

The Netherworld spirits began to fly into the castle as she finished the spell.

"Yes!" Atticus cheered.

Cherry panted as that was hard.

"You okay?" Atticus asked.

"That was a little hard to read." Cherry replied.

"You're finished, Warwick!" Joseph mocked the warlock.

"Yeah, you're going to the Netherworld!" Monkey Mo added.

The spirits began to fly back into the mirror.

"I will take you with me!" Warwick glared. 

Despite being an old mortal man, Joseph began to fight Warwick and stomped on his foot.

"Ooh, that had to hurt." Atticus smirked.

"It's you! That petulant child!" Warwick glared at Joseph as he was nearly in the mirror. "You're back!"

"The name is Joseph! Joseph Johnson!" Joseph glared back. 

"Noooo!" Warwick yelled out as he soon flew into the mirror, straight back into the Netherworld, and the mirror seemed to fade as the portal closed with him in it.

"Now everyone should be free." Cherry said.

"Uh, what if he comes back?" Alice asked.

"I don't think that will happen again, Alice." Joseph replied.

"You sound so sure of yourself." Cherry said to him.

"He won't return after that crystal from the staff is smashed." Atticus said.

Cherry was about to do just that.

"Uh, Cherry, why not give someone else a turn?" Atticus suggested.

"Really?" Cherry asked. "Who?"

Atticus then gestured to Joseph. Cherry soon gave Joseph the staff so he would do the honors.

"Please, sir, you do the honors." Atticus smiled.

Joseph smiled back and he soon flung the staff with all his might and shattered the crystal into little bits. Not only did the crystal shatter, but so did the mirror's glass, and now the reflection was shown, and soon, everything was changed back to the way it was supposed to be. 

"Fading... Fading... Gone..." Drell soon smiled as he didn't have his bad feeling anymore as Hilda and Zelda stood beside him.

"That's great!" Hilda cheered.

"Phew!" Zelda smiled in relief.

Maroot soon made a big sandwich for her son.

"Ooh, sardines..." Drell smiled as he took the sandwich and ate it right away.

"Yuck." Zelda cringed.

Maroot beamed to her son as she walked off.

"I'll be sure to congratulate Atticus later on." Drell said.

"How do you know Atticus saved the day?" Hilda asked. "It could've been Cherry, Mo, or Patch." 

"Doesn't Atticus always save the day?" Drell shrugged.

"Who knows? It might've been one of the others this time." Hilda shrugged back.

"Meh, I'll go check in after I eat." Drell replied, eating his sandwich.

"Eat up, you've been so stressed~" Hilda cooed while Zelda rolled her icy blue eyes.

"Oh, yeah, totally." Zelda murmured.

Back in the Mortal Realm, everything was changing back to normal. Michelle smiled to Sabrina and high-fived her as they did good for what they could do with the citizens after they had become Warwick's brainwashed followers, and where they weren't sure how they got to the old house. Pip soon barked as he came back.

"Pip!" Joseph smiled to the beagle puppy. 

Pip soon ran to the old man and they happily reunited with each other. Atticus and Mo smiled, happy for Pip and Joseph as she changed back to human.

"Oh, Mo!" Atticus beamed, hugging his girlfriend. 

Mo smiled and hugged him right back.

"But where are the Buddies?" Bartleby asked.

As if on cue, The Buddies came from the corner as well as Patch, Oddball, and Salem.

"There they are." Mo smiled.

The kids happily reunited with their puppies. Patch smiled as that was always sweet to see the kids and the Buddies back together after an adventure.

"Come on, everyone!" Joseph laughed happily. "Let's get out of this evil place!"

"Oh, totally." Cherry said.

They soon rushed out as well as Pip's brothers and sisters.

"The cops?!" Mo's eyes widened slightly as they came out the front doors.

"Why are the cops here?" Atticus asked.

"You're under arrest for having a big head." Cherry smirked.

Atticus gave her a deadpan expression in reply.

"I haven't had an episode like this since that KISS concert in the 80's." Mr. Carroll smiled.

"Apparently." Cherry whispered to herself.

"Maybe now I can be a wise owl." Hoot suggested to himself as he perched in a tree.

"It's a new day at last." Joseph smiled as he hugged Pip.

"H-Hey, can we get some help over here?" Rodney asked as he and Skip were shown to be naked in the bushes.

"Yeah, it's cold!" Skip cried out. "Can someone find our clothes?!"

This was humiliating for the two bully boys. The Buddies' owners soon laughed, but they were all happy for all that they had done last night.

"Is anyone hurt?" Sheriff Dan asked. "I'd like to arrest that psycho who harassed us all last night."

"You won't have to worry about him, Sheriff. He's gone." Cherry said.

"Gone?" Sheriff Dan asked.

"No worries, we got it." Mo smiled.

"You kids always were the amazing ones." Sheriff Dan chuckled to Cherry, Atticus, and Mo.

'He's got that right.' Atticus thought to himself.

Eventually, since Halloween was over, everyone got out of their costumes, and began to have a normal day.

"Thank you so much for all your help, Mr. John--Ah, I mean, Joseph." Billy smiled to their new friend.

"It was a pleasure... Dawg." Joseph smirked.

"So, where are you headed?" Mo asked.

"Yeah, what are you gonna do now?" Alice added.

"Well, I tracked down Pip's brothers' and sisters' owners," Joseph replied. "They live all across America now, so we're all gonna visit. Figure it's about time Pip and I do some living. See the country."

"Sounds like fun, sir." Cherry replied.

"It's so great to have a new leash on life," Pip smiled. "I'll miss you, Buddies, you too, Oddball, and your Uncle Patch and Uncle Salem."

"We'll miss you too." Oddball smiled back.

Salem was soon heard sobbing his trademark cry.

"Aw, Salem." Patch said to the black cat.

"I-I'm not crying... I just got something in my eye." Salem replied.

"Sure, we'll go with that." Patch said.

"I'm glad we could help you, Pip." Oddball smiled.

"Yo dawg, we'll catch ya on the flip-side." B-Dawg added.

"I think what my brother's saying is, we'll never forget you." Buddha stated.

"Hang loose, dude." MudBud smiled.

"And be sure to enjoy every food you eat." Patch said.

"You can say that again," Budderball agreed. "Pip, you need to check out the chili cheese dogs at every town you visit, and tell us which one's the best."

"Have a great time, Pip." Rosebud smiled.

"Goodbye, Buddies." Pip smiled back.

"We hope to see you again." Oddball smiled back.

"Maybe someday." Pip replied.

Joseph soon picked up Pip as it was time for them to go. "I haven't felt this spry in years," he then smiled as Pip licked his face. "We better hit the road. Bye, kids." 

"Bye, Mr. Johnson!" The kids replied and waved to him.

Joseph soon drove off with the beagle puppies. After that, everyone went off to do their own thing.

Cherry walked home, but saw a note in the toaster, and she looked around before turning on the garbage disposal, about to put the note inside so she could pretend that she didn't get it.

"Don't even." Drell's voice glared.

"Gah!" Cherry yelped and smiled nervously. "Sir...?"

"Could I see you in my office right now?" Drell's voice asked her.

"Yes, sir." Cherry replied nervously.

Cherry soon made her way to Drell's office. "Oh, man, what does he want now?" she sighed to herself, feeling unfortunate already.

The door opened to show Atticus and Mo as they came out the office.

"Atticus and Mo?" Cherry asked.

"We told Drell what you did." Mo said to her.

"You did?" Cherry asked.

"Yeah, he came to congratulate me... Then I told him I didn't do it." Atticus replied.

"Then he asked me, and I said I didn't do it either, and we both told him that you cast the spell and sent Warwick away." Mo added.

"So... He's not mad at me...?" Cherry asked, a bit hopeful.

Atticus and Mo shook their heads with smiles to her.

"Whew." Cherry sighed.

"You better go in there though before he does get angry." Mo suggested.

Cherry grinned sheepishly and stepped inside of the warlock's office as it always haunted her whenever she had to go in, but she gulped down her fear as she attempted to be brave and strong-willed since she had to deal with him for so long, and where she soon got to her seat. 

"Cherry... Welcome..." Drell greeted.

"Sir." Cherry replied.

"So, the others have told me that you recited the spell..." Drell said. "Even though you aren't a witch, Wiccan, or a wizard."

"That's right, sir." Cherry said.

"What made you think you could do that?" Drell asked.

"Uh, well, I dunno..." Cherry shrugged nervously. "I guess I kinda got caught up in the excitement."

"Well, I'm proud of you." Drell smiled.

"Wow... Really?" Cherry asked.

"Of course," Drell replied. "That was rather brave of you, Cherry."

"Oh... Well, thank you!" Cherry then smiled back.

"And as a reward, we'll watch an adventure that won't involve you or the others and will be on the Eternia that will happen a week from now." Drell told her.

"Wait... We'll be on Eternia, watching an adventure?" Cherry asked, trying to process all of that.

"No, we'll be watching an adventure that will be on Eternia while we are on Earth." Drell told her.

"Oh... Okay then..." Cherry shrugged. "I guess only He-Man and maybe She-Ra will have an adventure then like that time we watched Sinbad."

"Yep, and where they'll get their own little brother, but not in the biological way, but more like in the adoptive way and their little brother will be from Earth." Drell said.

"Um... Who is it?" Cherry asked him, leaning forward slightly. 

"Do you want me to spoil the surprise?" Drell smirked.

"Why not? You have before." Cherry muttered slightly.

"Fair point," Drell shrugged. "His name is Rodan, and where he's a run away orphan because, well, no one wants to adopt him because of his, um, unique imagination."

"Rodan..." Cherry repeated. "That's an interesting name."

"Says Cherry." Drell teased.

Cherry stuck her tongue out at him in response when he wasn't looking.

"Anyway, in a week from now, that adventure will start." Drell said.

Cherry soon took out her daily planner, and wrote that down. 

"I thought you guys could use a little break," Drell said. "I think I'm getting soft with you kids."

"Maybe just a little." Cherry said.

Drell soon patted her on the head.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Cherry said.

"I am not hurting you," Drell rolled his eyes. "Anyway, be ready to watch this adventure in one week."

"Yes, sir..." Cherry replied, straightening out her hair. 

"You're dismissed." Drell told her.

Cherry nodded and soon left to go out the door, taking a small breath of relief.

And where the week would go by fast and the reward come.

"These long school days, man." Atticus joked.

"You're hilarious." Cherry replied.

"Well, at least we won't have to go on any adventures." Patch said.

"For a while now anyway..." Cherry said.

"Yeah, that's true." Patch agreed, and where soon, they would watch the adventure that would happen.

"All right, are you all comfortable?" Drell asked.

They soon nodded to him.

"All right, let's get this show on the road." Drell said, taking out a remote to show them the adventure which would be for next time.

The End


End file.
